(Vienna) The outcome is unsurprising, but the method is unusual: Marlene Engelhorn, the Austrian millionaire and activist for better taxation of the richest, will redistribute her inheritance of 25 million euros (36 million Canadian dollars) to more than 70 organizations chosen by a collective of 50 citizens.
Environment, health, help for asylum seekers, fight against inequalities: “the result is as varied as the Council itself”, summarized Alexandra Wang, who headed the project, at a press conference on Tuesday in Vienna. . The initiatives have a “common” mission: to strive towards a fairer society […] and to support those who are victims of discrimination,” she stressed.
Alongside him, members of this “Good council for redistribution” spoke of “an exciting challenge”, a beautiful “exercise in democracy” based on “consensus”, while the all-expenses paid sessions were spread over six weeks. -ends from March to June in the city of Salzburg.
Fifty citizens were drawn at random to join the council. The youngest, Kyrillos Gadalla, 17, said he “learned a lot, a lot” from the other generations, the oldest being 85.
In total, 77 organizations will receive funds ranging from 40,000 euros ($60,000) to 1.6 million ($2.4 million), from Attac to various think tanks, including nature protection associations. or support for the homeless.
Present in everyone’s minds, but absent in front of the press on Tuesday, Marlene Engelhorn only intervened at the start of the process. “She placed her trust in us and we were completely free in our choices,” explained Angelika Taferner, another member of the Council.
The 32-year-old millionaire, descendant of the founder of the German chemical giant BASF, Friedrich Engelhorn, announced in January that she was giving up 25 million euros. Or 90% of his legacy, to denounce the “failure” of States in the face of increasingly glaring inequalities.
Like hundreds of American “patriotic millionaires”, the activist founded the “Tax me now” initiative in the German-speaking world. Before taking action after the death of his grandmother in September 2022 and concocting this original solution.
In a statement, she welcomed “the redistribution, in accordance with democratic values, of a large part” of her money.
“I inherited a fortune and with it power, without ever having done anything to deserve it. And the state doesn’t even want me to pay inheritance tax,” she denounced at the start of the year.
Soon deprived of most of her resources, the former German literature student must now consider employment for the first time. “I am leaving this dynastic ghetto of the rich,” she said, swearing that she would not regret her decision.
