Austria’s ex-Chancellor briefly acquitted in the false statement process

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) has been acquitted in the appeal procedure for his conviction for false statements in connection with the so-called Ibiza affair. This was decided by the Vienna Higher Regional Court on Monday. In February of last year, eight months were sentenced to a probation. The 38-year-old appealed and asserted his innocence.

“My goal was not to say anything wrong there,” said briefly on Monday in court and referred to his statement in the committee of inquiry to the affair. Even before the negotiation, he had declared that he had “answered all questions about the best knowledge and belief in the committee”.

The Ibiza affair had briefly brought down the first government in Austria. A video that was secretly shot on the Spanish island of Ibiza had shown how the then Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache from the right-wing populist FPÖ prospect of a supposed Russian oligarch nation for election for election help for election aid. This was followed by investigations against several Austrian politicians.

In Austria and also abroad, a long time was cheered for his steep climb in politics and referred to as the “child prodigy” of the European conservatives. In 2017 he became the youngest head of government worldwide at the age of 31. 2021 briefly got out of politics and switched to the private sector.

In another case, he is investigated. The public prosecutor suspects that short public funds has briefly misappropriated to finance falsified surveys that should polish up his image and to pay for positive reporting in the media.