A large part of the population considers politics sensitive to corruption, but little is known about measures to combat corruption. That’s according to a survey conducted by the Gallup Institute (1,000 in-person and online respondents ages 14 and older from mid-December to early January) on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Referendum. According to this report, every second respondent considers members of the federal government to be (highly) susceptible to corruption, and 43 percent of state councilors do the same.
The survey clearly shows that trust in the federal government and politics is still badly damaged, advocate Heinz Mayer said in a broadcast of the rule of law and anti-corruption referendum on Thursday. These results would be consistent with Austria’s underperformance in the latest report of the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and Transparency International’s current Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
Countermeasures little known
At the same time, according to the survey, little is known about the measures already taken to fight corruption: almost three-quarters do not know the national anti-corruption strategy at all or know it only by name. At the Federal Bureau for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption (BAK), this is almost two-thirds.
“If scandals go unresolved, the credibility of democratic institutions suffers,” warned Andrea Fronaschütz, director of the Gallup Institute. “Since October 2021, satisfaction with the work of the federal government has gradually decreased, the majority has doubts about the political system.” Alongside inflation, the energy crisis, health, care and pensions, fighting corruption is one of the most pressing concerns for people in the country.
“The proposals have been on the table for more than a year and a half, the federal government must finally commit comprehensively to combating corruption”, constitutional lawyer Mayer demands in view of the results.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
