The director general of Austrian national broadcaster ORF, which is set to host the Eurovision Song Contest in two months, has resigned following sexual harassment allegations made by a female employee. Roland Weissmann, 57, denies the claims, ORF announced on Monday.
In a statement, ORF confirmed Weissmann's resignation "with immediate effect," thanking him for his 30 years of service. The broadcaster said the allegations needed to be investigated "quickly and transparently." Weissmann's lawyer, Oliver Scherbaum, stated that ORF's Foundation Council informed Weissmann of the allegations, which relate to the beginning of his tenure in 2022, and gave him a matter of days to step down.
Scherbaum added that Weissmann had not yet received full details of the allegations but resigned "in order to avoid harm to the company." He described ORF's media announcement as "excessive and disproportionate," violating Weissmann's personal rights, and confirmed legal action would be taken. Ingrid Thurnher, head of ORF radio, will serve as interim director general.
Weissmann had led ORF for four years, with a decision on his second term expected later this year. Austria won the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, with singer JJ's performance of "Wasted Love." This year's contest will be held in Vienna, with semi-finals on May 12 and 14 and the final on May 16, broadcast live on BBC One and iPlayer.
