Austria’s National Council is under fresh scrutiny after newly published income disclosures revealed that many lawmakers are supplementing their government salaries with lucrative side jobs—266 of them, to be exact, reported by 5 Minuten. Among the 183 members of parliament, it is the Freedom Party (FPÖ) that dominates both in number and earnings. Seven of its members earn over €12,000 a month in additional income, a figure unmatched by any other party.
The FPÖ leads with an average of 1.9 side jobs per MP, trailed by the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) at 1.7. In contrast, members of the Green Party show restraint—fewer than half report any outside income at all. But the divide grows starker in individual cases: while 45 MPs hold no side jobs, 74 have more than one. FPÖ lawmaker Axel Kassegger tops the list with nine paid roles, followed closely by ÖVP’s Andreas Minnich with eight.
Among the highest earners are familiar professional faces—lawyers, notaries, pharmacists, and business executives. Names like Harald Stefan, Volker Reifenberger, Christian Ragger, and Gerhard Kaniak—all FPÖ—stand out. So do figures like banker Christoph Pramhofer (NEOS) and manager Arnold Schiefer (FPÖ).
Some high earners, including former ministers Karoline Edtstadler and Alma Zadić, appear on the list due to overlapping compensation during the election period.
The financial revelations have triggered sharp political reactions. The ÖVP labeled the FPÖ “the most expensive opposition ever,” while the SPÖ condemned the practice as “hypocrisy,” reigniting debate over the balance between public service and personal gain.
