Shortly before Christmas, ORF confirmed, as reported, that Karim El-Gawhary would only work for him as a Middle East correspondent until mid-2026. The long-time Middle East correspondent will then continue reporting from Egypt for ORF as a freelancer. This ORF decision caused a lot of discussion. ORF editorial spokesman Dietmar Bornemann attributed the separation from El-Gawhary to austerity requirements for ORF. SPÖ MP Muna Duzdar saw public pressure and hostility on social media as a reason for the separation.
