Charges against Sebastian Kurz for providing false testimony

author: FutureCar Staff    

Sebastian Kurz, the former Chancellor of Austria, has been charged with giving false testimony, according to Austria's Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office. The charges stem from allegations that Kurz provided false evidence to a parliamentary committee investigating potential bribery and corruption within his government. Specifically, the prosecutors claim that he lied about executive appointments to the board of Austria's sovereign wealth fund, Öbag. If convicted, Kurz could face a maximum penalty of three years in prison.

In addition to Kurz, his former aide Bernhard Bonelli and another individual, whose name has not been disclosed by the prosecutors, have also been charged in connection with the case. Kurz, who is 36 years old, has vehemently denied the accusations. In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, he stated, "The accusations are false, and we eagerly await the truth being revealed and the accusations being proven baseless in court."

Kurz rose to prominence as a political prodigy, becoming the youngest-ever chancellor of Austria and the youngest leader in Europe in 2017 when his center-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) won the elections. However, his government faced a vote of no-confidence in May 2019 following a corruption scandal involving his vice-chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, who was caught on a secretly filmed video. Despite this setback, Kurz's party won the general election in September 2019 and returned to power.

In October 2021, Kurz resigned as chancellor after his office was raided by prosecutors investigating allegations of bribery and breach of trust against him and his close team members. A few months later, he announced his departure from politics altogether.

FutureCar Staff