Heinz-Christian Strache and the FPÖ will go their separate ways in the future: the party shut out its longtime party leader after the turmoil over the Ibiza video and an expense scandal from the party. "For us it is a liberation, because it is history for us Ibiza and we can look into the future," said FPÖ boss Norbert Hofer in Vienna.
The founding of a new right wing party in Austria on Thursday could help Strache make a quick political comeback under a new flag.
The former Vice Chancellor Strache was overthrown in early October over the so-called Ibiza affair. The SPIEGEL had reported on secretly recorded videos that show how Strache of an alleged Russian millionaire prospect for their potential help in the election campaign public contracts. He then resigned from all offices, the government of FPÖ and conservative ÖVP broke. Strache is also being investigated because he could have embezzled party grounds. He rejects the allegations so far vehemently.
FPÖ accuses Strache of complicity in poor election results
Most recently, he came because of an expense scandal again and again in the headlines, the prosecutor investigating the 50-year-olds for infidelity. Strache denies the allegations of having used money from the party coffers for private purposes. His party membership last rested.
The former party leader was given due to the negative headlines around his person a significant complicity in the poor election results of the FPÖ in the National Council elections in September and in two state elections.
In recent weeks, however, in Austria was repeatedly speculated about a comeback even before the state elections in Vienna in the coming year. There is already a new platform for this: On Thursday, three members of the Strache, who are close to the Strache, split off from the FPÖ and founded Die Allianz für Österreich.