Austria’s former chancellor on trial for allegedly misleading corruption inquiry
Austria’s former chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, insisted he was innocent as he went on trial for allegedly giving false testimony to an inquiry into corruption scandals that have rocked the country.
Once hailed as a “wunderkind” of Europe’s conservatives, Kurz is the highest-profile figure implicated in a series of scandals. The case marks the first time in more than 30 years that a former chancellor has stood trial.
Kurz stepped down as chancellor two years ago after a string of allegations against him, including allegedly spending public money for favourable media coverage.
It marked a spectacular fall for the charismatic hardliner, who in 2017, at the age of 31, became the world’s youngest democratically elected head of government.
Kurz went on trial on Wednesday for having allegedly given false testimony in 2020 to a parliamentary committee probing graft allegations.
“I hope for a fair process, and that in the end the accusations will be proven wrong,” Kurz, 37, told reporters outside the courtroom.
Dressed in a light shirt and dark suit, he condemned the “politicisation” of the case, adding that he was “confident” he would be acquitted.
If convicted, Kurz could face up to three years in jail.
The former chancellor – who is on trial with two others – is accused of having downplayed his influence in appointing the head of a state-owned company.
Gregor Adamovic, prosecuting, told a courtroom packed with media in his opening statement that “nothing was decided without Kurz”. He accused him of “lying to the general public” and “wanting to hide the truth”.
Chat messages leaked to the local media from the investigation files before the trial suggested that Kurz discussed the appointment with the official, Thomas Schmid, who in one message says: “I’m so happy. I love my chancellor.”
Adamovic raised some of those leaked messages in his opening statement.
Prosecutors have said they plan to call about 20 witnesses, including Schmid, as well as Kurz’s former finance minister and other high-profile officials.
In his opening statement, Kurz’s lawyer, Otto Dietrich, asked for his client to be acquitted, arguing the accusations failed to stand up.
Prosecutors have so far failed to land convictions linked to the scandals that have rocked the Alpine country of 9 million people since 2019.
In a separate case, prosecutors are investigating Kurz on suspicion of having embezzled public money to fund polls which were skewed to boost his image and to pay for favourable coverage to help his political rise.
Though Kurz – who denies all the accusations – has stepped back, the conservative Austrian People’s party (ÖVP) continues to govern, but their approval ratings have plummeted.
This has played into the hands of the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ), which polls suggest has about 30% support ahead of elections next year.
With a new leadership, FPÖ has managed to overcome the “Ibizagate” scandal that engulfed it in 2019 and brought down Kurz’s first government.
His then vice-chancellor and farright leader Heinz-Christian Strache stepped down after the leaking of a video that had been filmed secretly on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza. It showed him offering public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian oligarch’s niece in exchange for campaign help.
Despite having left politics, Kurz continues to make headlines, most recently when three movies about his political career were released almost simultaneously.
He is now involved in numerous private international enterprises. His social media posts show his jet-setting lifestyle and meetings with conservative politicians.