Press Council: Report on right-wing influencer Grosz's 'Blue Relationship Management' permissible

The Austrian Press Council has dismissed a complaint against a report by kleinezeitung.at that examined the influence of political consultants during the Graz municipal election campaign. The article specifically highlighted the work of consultants Rudi Fußi, Gerald Grosz, and Peter Puller.

The complaint centered on a passage that discussed the partner of Gerald Grosz, who had moved from the city of Graz to the office of Styrian Governor Mario Kunasek, affiliated with the FPÖ. The report suggested a connection between Grosz's partner and the Freedom Party.

However, the Press Council found the complaint to be without merit. It rejected the claims in all aspects, upholding the journalistic integrity of the report published by kleinezeitung.at. The decision means the reporting on the consultants and their alleged influence remains permissible under self-regulation standards.