Austria: Ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz takes part in the party conference – is that his political comeback?
Created: 04/27/2022, 16:38
By: Jennifer Battaglia
In October 2021, Sebastian Kurz resigned from his position as Chancellor of Austria.
There were allegations of corruption against him.
Is he now returning to politics?
© Georg Hochmuth/APA/dpa/dpa-Bildfunk
A message from Austria's ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz makes you sit up and take notice.
In mid-May he takes part in the party conference of the People's Party.
Is the 35-year-old returning to politics?
Vienna – At the beginning of December 2021, Austria's ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that he was withdrawing completely from politics and resigning from all political offices.
This was after he had already announced his resignation as chancellor two months earlier.
Allegations of corruption had been leveled against him beforehand.
According to media reports, the 35-year-old has since been working as a "Global Strategist" for the German-American technology investor Peter Thiel.
Now Kurz speaks up via Facebook and announces that he will take part in the party conference of the People's Party in mid-May.
Will this be his political comeback?
Austria: Will Sebastian Kurz return to the political stage?
In his post, Kurz writes that he was very happy about the invitation from the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP).
"Of course I'm very happy to be there," says the native of Vienna.
With his presence, Kurz wants to "show unity and support Karl Nehammer in his work as party chairman and federal chancellor".
At the same time, he would like to take the opportunity to "thank you for the last 20 years together".
The ex-Chancellor ended his post with the words that he was looking forward to seeing him again "with so many friends and companions".
The post has been liked over 8,000 times (as of April 27) and commented on over 1,000 times.
"You were, and maybe you will be again, the best chancellor," writes one user.
Another says: "Break over.
Just come back."
But other tones are also struck.
Several Facebook users criticize his person and do not want Kurz to get back into politics.
Austria: Sebastian Kurz makes a clear statement about a possible comeback
As reported
by heute.at
, Kurz should also give a speech at the ÖVP party conference in Graz.
Tabloid media are tempted to speculate about a political comeback by the ex-Chancellor.
As it turns out, however, Kurz's "comeback" is only to be understood geographically.
The ex-Chancellor made clear statements to
the
APA .
Regarding a possible return to politics, he said: "I can rule that out 100 percent.
My future is in the private sector”.
(jb)
Kurz's successor, Karl Nehammer, was recently criticized for his visit to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Read more about this here.
(Traffic lights ahead of big tasks - you can find out what the SPD, Greens and FDP are planning in our political newsletter.)
