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Kurz announces his resignation as Austrian chancellor

Sebastian Kurz suggested that President Alexander Van der Bellen should appoint Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Schallenberg as acting head of government

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz EPA-EFE/CHRISTIAN BRUNA

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

© EPA-EFE/CHRISTIAN BRUNA

VIENNA, October 9. /TASS/. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has decided to step down in the wake of an ongoing investigation into his alleged complicity in bribery and breach of trust, he announced at a news conference on Saturday.

Kurz suggested that President Alexander Van der Bellen should appoint Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Schallenberg as acting head of government.

Kurz will remain the leader of the conservative Austrian People’s Party and will take a seat at the National Council (the lower house of parliament).

According to Kurz, "the accusations [of corruption] are false," but his government coalition partner, the Greens, has turned against him.

"I would therefore like to make way in order to end the stalemate, to prevent chaos and to ensure stability," Kurz said.

"I have asked the government team from the People’s Party to get ahead without fail. As leader of the People’s Party, which has a majority [in parliament], I proposed to the federal president Alexander Schallenberg to succeed me as head of government," Kurz said.

According to Kurz, Schallenberg is capable of restoring trust between the coalition partners and of continuing the government’s work.

"The country needs a stable government. I will return to the parliament as party leader and head of our faction and will try to make my contribution. I will definitely take the chance to refute the accusations against me," Kurz stressed.

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