Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has lost his protection against corruption investigations. Parliament unanimously lifted the 35-year-old conservative politician’s immunity. Kurz and his ÖVP had supported the step, according to their own statements, to enable the allegations to be clarified quickly.
The public prosecutor’s office for business and corruption is investigating Kurz and some close political colleagues on suspicion of infidelity. His rise to ÖVP boss and chancellor is said to have been supported by surveys that have been embellished and paid for with taxpayers’ money. In addition, there are reports against Kurz for false statements in the parliamentary Ibiza investigation committee, which investigated possible corruption in the environment of the ÖVP and the right-wing FPÖ. Kurz has denied all allegations.
The first term of office as head of government ended after allegations of corruption against the FPÖ
On October 6th, house searches had taken place in the Federal Chancellery, in the ÖVP headquarters and in the Ministry of Finance. Kurz was initially reluctant to resign. A threatened vote of no confidence by the co-ruling Greens and the opposition in parliament prompted him to withdraw as head of government after a few days. He remained the chairman of the ÖVP and became a parliamentary group leader.
Kurz had previously had a steep career. At 27 he became Foreign Minister, at 31 Chancellor. His first term as head of government ended in 2019 after corruption allegations surfaced against the coalition partners of the right-wing FPÖ. In the course of coming to terms with the so-called Ibiza scandal, investigators also examined chats from the ÖVP environment, which Kurz ultimately brought down.