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Sebastian Kurz: resigned as Chancellor at the beginning of October
Photo: imago stock / imago images / Eibner Europa
The committee of the National Council decided unanimously, the vote in the plenary session is to take place on Thursday: The parliament of Austria
has started the lifting of the legal immunity of ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
Only after the vote in the plenary session can the corruption prosecutor continue to investigate the 35-year-old.
Sebastian Kurz resigned as head of government at the beginning of October after the economic and corruption prosecutor's office had searched the Chancellery, among other things.
Less than 40 hours later, Austria had a new Chancellor: It became Alexander Schallenberg, the previous Foreign Minister (read an interview with him here).
Sebastian Kurz moved to parliament as leader of the ÖVP parliamentary group and has since enjoyed immunity as a member of parliament.
Therefore the investigations of the public prosecutor had to be put on hold.
Against Kurz and some close political comrades-in-arms, among other things, investigations are being carried out 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 (read more here). 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. A total of ten people are investigated on suspicion of breach of trust, bribery and corruption. Kurz also denies these allegations.
"The false allegations against me can be quickly refuted," claimed shortly before the meeting of the committee.
A few days ago, the ÖVP presented a private report by the lawyer and criminal law professor Peter Lewisch, which is intended to exonerate Kurz.
However, the University of Vienna immediately distanced itself from the paper, which had been unauthorizedly affixed to the university's seal.
as / dpa
