He was considered the political superstar of the conservatives in Europe. The public prosecutor’s recent investigation put him under pressure. Ex-Chancellor Kurz is now drawing conclusions.
Austria’s ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigns from the political stage. The 35-year-old announced his resignation as party and parliamentary leader of the conservative ÖVP on Thursday. The corruption allegations against him had diminished his passion for politics, and the birth of his son a few days ago had shown him that there were more important things in life, he explained. “For me, a new chapter begins that I can open today.” And further: “I look forward to spending time with my child and my family before I dedicate myself to new tasks in the new year.”
The constant accusations were exhausting and draining. “You have made my flame a little smaller in me,” he said to journalists in the ÖVP party academy. The business and corruption prosecutor’s office is investigating against Kurz on suspicion of false testimony in the Ibiza investigation committee and on suspicion of infidelity. Kurz and his political colleagues are said to have promoted his rise to the top of the government with the help of taxpayers’ money, among other things. Kurz denies the allegations.
Minister of the Interior is to be Kurz’s successor
According to media speculation, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer could succeed as head of the ÖVP and also take over the office of Chancellor from Alexander Schallenberg.
For a long time, Kurz was considered a political superstar by conservatives in Europe. He started his political career at the federal level in 2011 as State Secretary for Integration. In 2014, at the age of 27, he became the youngest foreign minister in the history of Austria. In 2017 he made the leap to the top of the government. Kurz became chancellor of a government coalition made up of the ÖVP and the right-wing FPÖ. Kurz was widely criticized for the participation of right-wing populists in the government. After the end of the coalition as a result of the Ibiza affair, there were new elections. Kurz has been Chancellor of an alliance of the ÖVP and the Greens since the beginning of 2020.
His political trademarks included his closeness to the citizens and his vehement advocacy of a restrictive migration policy. His political communication was characterized by very clear announcements. Kurz was extremely popular for years.
Since the prosecution began investigating Kurz in May, his political star has started to decline. The preliminary low point was house searches in the Federal Chancellery and in the ÖVP headquarters in October, after which Kurz resigned as head of government.
Note: This article has been updated.
Source From: Stern
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