Austrian Chancellor calls for snap election

Freedom Party's Heinz Christian Strache steps down from his posts in wake of scandal video footage

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA, Austria (AA) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called Saturday for a snap election after accepting resignation of his far-right vice chancellor Heinz Christian Strache over a corruption scandal.

Kurz's center-right People's Party ended the coalition government with Strache's Freedom Party after a secret video footage emerged Friday. Strache stepped down from his posts.

The scandal episode filmed before 2017 national elections appears to show Strache discussing and promising government contracts to an investor lady of Russian origin in exchange for helping his far-right party campaign in Austria.

“After yesterday’s video, enough is enough,” Kurz told reporters, adding that he asked the President Alexander Van der Bellen to hold a new national vote “as soon as possible.”

The president said next steps on fresh elections would be discussed on Sunday.

Kurz also said that the Freedom Party has both damaged the image of Austria and created the abuse of power.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev

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