Even Angela Merkel could not have dreamed that she would survive Sebastian Kurz.
In Berlin and Munich, champagne corks are likely to pop, comments Georg Anastasiadis.
The laws of political gravity also apply to political boy prodigies.
Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian Icarus, came too close to the sun - and plunged deep into the shadowy realm of Viennese politics.
The allegations that Kurz and his helpers bought cheap surveys and praising press reports with taxpayers' money at the beginning of his breathtaking state career are so toxic, even in the land of the famous "Freunderlwirtschaft", that nothing and no one could stop the fall of the powerful Chancellor.
Not even the abundant political successes that have made Austria and the ruling People's Party envied role models in Europe.
Sebastian Kurz remains "shadow chancellor" - ÖVP boss has so far shone far beyond Austria
In Berlin and Munich, too, some will rejoice who have long had to annoy their more successful and popular Viennese colleagues.
For many German citizens, too, Kurz had become a beacon of hope in recent years, not only because of his clear stance on the migration issue, which shone far beyond Austria.
The Viennese Chancellor does not fall into nowhere: As the likely future party and parliamentary group leader of the ÖVP, he will, as the SPÖ chairwoman aptly put it, be the new “shadow chancellor” of Austria, alongside the official Chancellor Schallenberg - provided that the Greens in government agree and continue the turquoise-green alliance, to which there is hardly a real alternative due to the strong position of the right-wing FPÖ.
Austria: Kurz's popularity protects him from falling into nowhere - not even a comeback is ruled out
From falling into nowhere, the 35-year-old is keeping his popularity for the time being, which his ÖVP, which is actually a short list, cannot and cannot do without.
Not even a comeback is out of the question.
To do this, Kurz would either have to refute the accusations made by the public prosecutors, which, according to the current state of the files, could be difficult.
Or hope that the Austrians will once again forgive their “miracle whirlpool” for the grave sin of youth.
Georg Anastasiadis
