Karl-Heinz Grasser has now been legally convicted. Even before his conviction, he belonged to a number of politicians with a special proximity of the economy. The rapid change of top -andrijk politicians from the government office directly in very endowed posts of the private sector raises questions about integrity, influence and potential conflicts of interest. So do it need – as in Germany – a break for a change?
Immediately after his work as Minister of Finance, Grasser himself switched to the investment and advisory business. Other ex-minister also followed this pattern, as you can see in the list below. Germany already introduced a law in 2015 that arranges precisely such cases: politicians who have taken the responsibility of the government should not immediately change in jobs in the private sector up to 18 months without controlling an independent advisory board, the potential conflicts of interest. This is to prevent political decisions from being influenced by later lucrative vacancies or at least this impression is created.
German solution – Model for Austria?
So far there has been no waiting time in Austria. Given the eye on many cases in which Austrian top politicians quickly switched to influential economic positions, the question arises whether Austria does not require a clear legal pregnancy period. Can such a law create trust, prevent corruption and strengthen political integrity? Or would this be unnecessary bureaucratic effort that makes it difficult to enter high-qualified ex-politicians again?
Does Austria need a maternity leave for politicians who switch to the private sector? Would this really be verifiable for conflicts of interest or would only make it unnecessarily difficult for the political company? How important is the integrity and independence of top politicians after their term?
We are interested in your opinion – Discuss!
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
