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Austria's vice-chancellor resigns over video scandal

Austria's vice-chancellor has resigned after becoming embroiled in a scandal over secret video fo...
Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

13.20 18 May 2019


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Austria's vice-chancellor resi...

Austria's vice-chancellor resigns over video scandal

Stephen McNeice
Stephen McNeice

13.20 18 May 2019


Share this article


Austria's vice-chancellor has resigned after becoming embroiled in a scandal over secret video footage.

Heinz-Christian Strache of the far-right Freedom Party confirmed he had tendered his resignation to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

TheLocal reports the resignation came after reports on Friday about secretly recorded video footage appearing to show Mr Strache promising public contracts to a fake Russian backer.

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It's alleged he told the woman claiming to be the niece of a Russian oligarch that he'd grant the contracts in return for political and financial support.

It's claimed the video was recorded in Ibiza in 2017, in the moths leading up to Austria's last parliamentary elections.

In comments quoted by Reuters, Mr Strache insisted he'd done nothing illegal.

He said: “It was dumb, it was irresponsible and it was a mistake.

“I do not in any circumstances want my wrong behavior to provide a pretext for the government to collapse."

However, he also claimed the the video was a 'political attack'.

The Freedom Party is the smaller party in a coalition led by the centre-right Austrian People's Party.

Mr Strache is set to be replaced as vice-chancellor by transport minister Norbert Hofer.

Main image: Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. Picture by: Michael Gruber/AP/Press Association Images

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