ORF Election: Armin Wolf Sharp-Criticizes Candidate Eva Schütz – FPÖ Pushes Back

Wolf was responding to a post by media law expert Hans-Peter Lehofer, who had questioned the legality of the nomination. Wolf said he was "amazed" ("erstaunt") by the controversy over his own post and explained that the position of the Foundation Council left him "speechless" ("ratlos").

The background to the dispute is the upcoming election of the ORF Director General, which is scheduled for June 11 according to the ORF. A total of 13 candidates are reportedly still in the running. Before a decision is made, all applicants must complete a hearing. Access to the process is granted exclusively to persons nominated by a member of the ORF Foundation Council.

Reactions from the FPÖ

Eva Schütz is a media manager and has been editor-in-chief of the online outlet "Exxpress" since January 2024. She was nominated as a candidate for the ORF Director General position by Gregor Schütze, the Deputy Chair of the ORF Foundation Council. Schütze considers Schütz suitable, according to his own statements.

Criticism of Wolf's statements came promptly from the FPÖ. Party leader Herbert Kickl wrote on Facebook that Wolf's recent statements were "an Überheblichkeit und Scheinheiligkeit nicht zu überbieten" (impossible to surpass in arrogance and hypocrisy). The FPÖ's media policy spokesperson, Christian Hafenecker, was likewise outraged by the moderator's post.

Review of the Code of Conduct

Meanwhile, the incumbent ORF Director General, Ingrid Thurnher, has initiated a review of whether Wolf's Bluesky post violates the code of conduct for ORF staff members. The trigger was an outreach by Foundation Council member Peter Westenthaler, who contacted Thurnher.

Thurnher's course of action makes clear that the controversy is also being treated within the ORF Group as a matter of relevance under employment law. A statement from Wolf regarding the accusations that he had overstepped the bounds of journalistic restraint with his post was not initially available.

Outlook on the Election on June 11

The dispute comes at a time when the future direction of the ORF is the subject of intense political debate. The decision on the succession at the top of the public broadcaster is considered a landmark for the balance between editorial independence and political influence.

With the hearing and the decision planned for June 11, the discussion about personnel, programming direction, and the independence of the ORF is likely to intensify in the coming days.