Austria’s Kurz steps down over corruption probe to save lots of coalition By Reuters

By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) -Austria’s conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned on Saturday to tug his coalition authorities again from the brink of collapse after the junior celebration demanded his head as a result of he has been positioned underneath investigation on suspicion of corruption.

The transfer by Kurz, who denies wrongdoing, happy his coalition accomplice, the Greens, and got here simply three days earlier than a particular session of parliament at which they had been getting ready to again a movement of no-confidence that will have pressured him out.

On the identical time, his resignation is extra a matter of kind than substance when it comes to coverage. He plans to remain on as his celebration’s chief and grow to be its prime lawmaker in parliament, and he’s prone to proceed to name the pictures within the coalition.

“I’d due to this fact prefer to make manner in an effort to finish the stalemate, to stop chaos and to make sure stability,” Kurz stated in a press release to the media.

He added that he was proposing Overseas Minister Alexander Schallenberg, a profession diplomat backed by Kurz’s celebration, take over as chancellor, whom the Greens quickly made clear they accepted.

“I consider that is the precise step for future authorities work,” Greens chief and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler stated in a press release, including he had had a “very constructive” working relationship with Schallenberg and would meet him on Sunday.

A star amongst Europe’s conservatives identified for his laborious line on immigration, Kurz, 35, grew to become one of many continent’s youngest leaders in 2017 when he fashioned a coalition with the far-right Freedom Occasion that collapsed in scandal in 2019. Parliament sacked him however he received the snap election that adopted.

He has to this point been unchallenged as chief of the Folks’s Occasion (OVP) – he was reappointed in August with 99.4% help.

GONE BUT NOT

“This resignation isn’t an actual resignation,” political analyst Thomas Hofer stated. “It’s (formally) a step again into the second row however the energy within the OVP and due to this fact inside the OVP authorities group nonetheless lies with Sebastian Kurz.”

Schallenberg, 52, who labored with Kurz when Kurz was international minister earlier than he grew to become chancellor, is unlikely to shed the picture of a person who owes his ministerial profession to Kurz.

“After all he’ll do nothing with out agreeing it with Sebastian Kurz beforehand. He’s considered one of Kurz’s closest confidants,” Hofer stated.

Prosecutors have positioned Kurz and 9 others underneath investigation https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/prosecutors-raid-austrian-conservatives-hq-fresh-headache-kurz-2021-10-06 on suspicion of breach of belief, corruption and bribery with numerous ranges of involvement.

Beginning in 2016 when Kurz was looking for to take over as celebration chief, prosecutors suspect the conservative-led Finance Ministry paid for manipulated polling and protection beneficial to Kurz to be printed in a newspaper.

Paperwork circulated as a part of their investigation and printed in Austrian media additionally included embarrassing and compromising text-messages saying Kurz’s opponents say present a scarcity of scruples and underhanded ways.

Austrian media reviews earlier than Kurz’s announcement had stated he would step down solely briefly. Whereas Kurz didn’t say that he did say of his future: “Above all … I’ll after all use the chance to refute and disprove the accusations which have been made in opposition to me.”

The political penalties, each when it comes to his celebration’s recognition and its relationship with the Greens, are unclear.

“Is it sufficient?” the chief of the liberal Neos celebration, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, stated at a information convention reacting to Kurz’s announcement.

“We all know from the (investigation) paperwork that he purchased himself a celebration, that he purchased himself an election, that he manipulated and lied to individuals, and he did all of it together with your tax cash.”