Austria’s Ex-Leader Sebastian Kurz Cleared of Lying Case, Eyes Possible Comeback
Court Throws Out Conviction Against Former Austrian Chancellor, But Corruption Probe Still Ongoing
There was drama in Austria on Monday as the country’s former leader, Sebastian Kurz, won his appeal against a court ruling that found him guilty of lying to lawmakers. The court’s decision has now cleared the way for the 38-year-old to consider returning to politics, though he is still being investigated in another corruption case.
“Years of accusations have now all collapsed,” Kurz told journalists after the court session, celebrating his victory.
Last year, an Austrian court sentenced Kurz to an eight-month suspended jail term for allegedly giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee. The committee was investigating whether Kurz played a key role in picking top officials for a new government company, or if he was just kept informed as he claimed.
The first judge said Kurz was not truthful, but on Monday, a panel of three judges disagreed. They said, “The objective offence of giving false evidence was not fulfilled,” and cleared him of all charges.
Despite this big win, Kurz is not totally in the clear. He is still under investigation for allegedly using public money to pay for positive news stories and fake opinion polls to boost his image. Prosecutors are yet to decide if he will be charged. When asked about a return to politics, Kurz has not made any promises. Since stepping down in 2021, he has gone into business and co-founded a cybersecurity company called Dream.
Kurz was once seen as a rising star in European politics, leading Austria’s conservative party to victories in 2017 and 2019. He took a tough stance on immigration, which won him many supporters. After the last election, his party joined a three-party coalition to stay in power, even though the far-right Freedom Party got the most votes. The Freedom Party could not form a government.
Sebastian Kurz is now free from his perjury conviction, but he still faces a corruption investigation. He has not announced a political comeback and is now a businessman, running a big cybersecurity company.
In Kurz’s own words: “There have been numerous court hearings – a huge amount of confrontation with these accusations. You have all witnessed how much this has been celebrated and that it has now all collapsed.”
The world is watching to see if Sebastian Kurz will make a return to politics, or if he will focus on his new life in business.
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