Three-party coalition agrees on model for federal prosecutor's office

The core of the reform is the transfer of the chain of指令 (instruction authority) from the Justice Minister to an instruction-free supreme investigative and prosecution authority. "Geplant ist ein Übertragen der Weisungsspitze von der Justizministerin bzw. dem Justizminister an eine weisungsfreie oberste Ermittlungs- und Anklagebehörde", heißt es in den vorab bekannt gewordenen Plänen. Until now, the right to issue instructions to the public prosecutor's offices has lain with the Justice Minister.

Structure of the new authority

At the top of the new authority, a collegial three-person leadership is to be installed, appointed by an independent commission. "Die aus einer kollegialen Dreierspitze bestehen soll", formuliert das Papier die künftige Struktur. Such a construction is intended to prevent the leadership of the authority from being influenced by individual parties.

The agreement was contested until the very end. "Zuletzt wurde noch um Details gerungen", berichtete die Tageszeitung KURIER bereits am Wochenende über die Verhandlungen. What remained open in particular was the composition of the selection commission that will in future propose the federal prosecutors, as well as the role of the National Council in this procedure.

Presentation in Parliament

Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ) had invited to a press conference in Parliament for Monday midday. "Die Details werden heute Mittag präsentiert, teilte das Justizministerium mit." In addition to Sporrer, ÖVP justice spokesperson Klaus Fürlinger as well as Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) were announced as participants.

The reform is politically sensitive because it constitutionally requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament. "Zur Umsetzung braucht die Regierung eine Zweidrittelmehrheit und damit die Zustimmung von FPÖ oder Grünen", erklärten die Koalitionspartner. The government is thus dependent on votes from the opposition camp, because ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS together do not command the necessary majority.

Two-thirds as a hurdle

The FPÖ, which has been leading in polls for months, has shown itself to be opposed in the past. "Erstere hatte sich in der Vergangenheit ablehnend gezeigt", heißt es zum bisherigen Kurs der Freiheitlichen. This puts the Greens more into focus as a possible partner for the necessary votes.

The Green MP Alma Zadić, who had once negotiated the project as Justice Minister of the previous government, stated unambiguous conditions on Sunday in the ORF program "Hohes Haus." "Sie forderte in der ORF-Sendung 'Hohes Haus' am Sonntag, dass die Bundesstaatsanwaltschaft von der Parteipolitik unabhängig sein muss." Specifically, Zadić demanded: "Die Bundesstaatsanwälte müssten aus der Justiz kommen, von einer unabhängigen Kommission bestellt und nicht von den Parteien ausgesucht werden."

Conditions from the Greens

Zadić tied her approval to the specific draft law: "Die Zustimmung machte sie vom konkreten Entwurf abhängig." She also pointed to the failure of earlier negotiations: "Hier sei man sich mit der ÖVP nicht einig geworden." Thus, the final position of the Greens remains open and is likely to be decided on the basis of the draft presented.

The prehistory of the reform goes back to the year 2016, when under the then Minister Wolfgang Brandstetter the instruction council (Weisungsrat) was established in the Ministry of Justice. Since then, ministers no longer had to issue formal instructions, but merely had to implement recommendations of the council. In practice, ministers have largely followed the recommendations of the Weisungsrat, as reported from justice circles.

Prehistory and drivers

In academic debate and in justice circles, the plans meet with mixed reactions. Large parts of the judiciary and also the Greens fundamentally reject a selection procedure in Parliament, which is regarded as not apolitical. The Kreutner Commission, which was set up in connection with the investigations surrounding the deceased section chief Christian Pilnacek, concluded that there is a two-tier justice system in Austria. This diagnosis is regarded as one of the political drivers of the reform.

Politically noteworthy is the change of position by the ÖVP. At the beginning of the year 2021, the People's Party had for decades rejected an independent instruction authority with the argument of necessary parliamentary control. Only at the beginning of 2021 did the party execute a U-turn and henceforth support the project of an instruction-free authority. This change of heart forms the basis for the fact that the reform could actually be implemented in the current legislative period.

Change of the ÖVP

In substantive terms, the model transfers the previously at the Justice Minister lying specialist and organizational supervision over the public prosecutor's offices to an instruction-free leadership. The public prosecutor's offices in Austria conduct investigations and decide on prosecution or dismissal of proceedings; they are currently still subject to specialist supervision by the senior public prosecutor's offices and ultimately by the Ministry of Justice. This hierarchy is to be broken at the top.

If the government presents a convincing draft on Monday, the Greens move further into the foreground as majority suppliers. If, however, the presentation falls short of Zadić's demands, the FPÖ could offer itself as an alternative despite its earlier rejection. The political fronts thus remain fundamentally open even after the agreement in principle.