#AUSTRIA: Chancellor Kurz Resigns Amid Corruption Probe

[world politics news]

 

Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has stepped down, after pressure triggered by a corruption investigation.

He has proposed Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg as his replacement.

Kurz and nine others were placed under investigation after raids at a number of locations linked to his conservative People's Party (ÖVP), including his own office.

He denies claims he used government money to ensure positive coverage in a tabloid newspaper.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

 

#AUSTRIA: Conservatives And Greens To Form Historic, "Courageous" Governing Coalition

[world politics news]

Austria's conservatives led by Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday agreed to form an unprecedented coalition government with the Greens, ending almost three months of negotiations, a coalition which Kurz said will require "courage."

"We have succeeded to unite the best of both worlds... It is possible to protect the climate and borders," said Kurz, whose People's Party again gained the most votes in snap elections in September.

The polls were triggered after a corruption scandal engulfed Kurz's far-right ally after just 18 months in government together, during which the 33-year-old had carefully cultivated his image as a hardliner on immigration. He will once again become chancellor, the youngest leader of a nation in the world.

One final step remains before the coalition is announced on Jan. 7th. 276 Green Party officials and parliamentarians will decide at the federal congress on Saturday whether the party will be part of the future government.

Pictured: Head of the Austrian People's Party Sebastian Kurz (L) and head of the Green Party Werner Kogler (R)

[FULL STORY HERE AND HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Kurz's People's Party Wins Sunday's National Election

[world politics news]

Austria's conservative People's Party, led by former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, has won a clear victory in Sunday's general election.

With nearly all the votes counted, Mr Kurz's party has more than 38% of the vote, up from 31% in the last election.

His former coalition partners, the anti-migration Freedom Party, have received 17.3%, a sharp decline, after a scandal. Still, either they or the Greens could form a coalition with Kurz' party. Long negotiations to form a government now begin.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Hofer Elected Head Of Freedom Party

[world politics news]

Austria's anti-immigrant populist party has formally elected Norbert Hofer to lead it into national elections later this month.

Hofer took over the Freedom Party's leadership in May after Heinz-Christian Strache resigned, both as party head and Austrian vice-chancellor, in the wake of a corruption scandal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: First Woman Chancellor Inaugurated Following Ouster Of Kurz [world politics news]

[world politics news]

Brigitte Bierlein was sworn in today to become. Austria's the first woman chancellor. Pres. Alexander Van der Bellen nominated Bierlein, a constitutional judge, to hold the job until new elections following the ouster of Sebastian Kurz, who lost a no confidence vote.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Chancellor Kurz Forced From Office Following Russia Influence Scandal

[world politics news]

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz was forced from power Monday when his government lost a parliamentary no-confidence vote, paving the way for a new caretaker administration to take charge ahead of elections expected in September.

The 32-year-old's ouster follows a tumultuous week after a video emerged apparently showing the head of the far-right Freedom Party - Kurz’s coalition partner - offering valuable government contracts to a woman posing as a Russian investor in return for political influence.

Social Democrats were joined in their no confidence vote by the Freedom Party, who feels abandoned by Kurz.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Regional Animal Welfare Minister Suggests "Registering Jews" Who Want To Kill Animals For Kosher Food - Gov't Rejects Idea

[world politics news]

A regional politician's plan that would have allowed Jews to buy kosher meat only if they were officially registered and granted a special permit has been quickly shot down by Federal officials. The Minister for Animal Welfare in the state of Lower Austria, Gottfried Waldhausl, said it was an attempt to reduce the amount of animals ritually slaughtered every year. Government spokesman Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal said Austria would "protect the freedoms and fundamental rights of our Jewish fellow citizens." And tweeted, "The Federal Government rejects any form of personal registration in connection with the purchase of kosher meat, such an idea is out of question."

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Gov't Will Dissolve Seven "Political" Mosques And Deport 60 Imams And Their Families

[world politics news]

Austria's chancellors says the country could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and would shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on 'political Islam' that was described as 'just the beginning', triggering fury in Ankara. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government is shutting a hardline Turkish nationalist mosque in Vienna and dissolving a group called the Arab Religious Community that runs six mosques. .

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Chancellor Kurz Stands With Hungarian PM Against EU Immigration Quotas

[world politics news]

The EU migrant redistribution scheme "isn't working," Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said while welcoming Hungary's Viktor Orban in Vienna. The two leaders called for opposition to illegal migration to Europe. At the same time,  Austria should work to ease tensions between western and the eastern EU members, Kurz said in Vienna at a joint press conference.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Far-Right Candidate Linked To "Songbook" Celebrating The Holocaust

[world politics news]

The far-right candidate in an Austrian state election was under pressure on Tuesday following a magazine report about song lyrics celebrating the Holocaust and other Nazi atrocities.
According to the Falter weekly, Udo Landbauer of the Freedom Party (FPÖ), which is in the national governing coalition, is deputy chair of a student fraternity behind a songbook containing the texts.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Freedom Party Blocks Looming 2018 Smoking Ban In Hotels, Restaurants

[world politics news]

Austria’s Freedom Party has announced that a planned ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants that was due to come into force in 2018 will be scrapped. Party chief Heinz-Christian Strache said the reversal was agreed in ongoing talks to form a coalition with the conservative People’s Party following elections in October.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Conservatives Win Majority, Sebastian Kurz, 31, Set To Be World's Youngest Leader

[world politics news]

Austria's conservative People's Party, led by 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz, is set to win the country's general election, projections suggest. Kurz is on course to become the world's youngest national leader. The People's Party was set to win more than 31%. It is so far unclear whether the Social Democrats or the far-right Freedom Party will finish second. Short of a majority, Kurz's party could seek an alliance with the anti-immigration Freedom Party.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Islamic Veil And Other Face-Concealing Items Banned As Of Today

[world politics news]

New restrictions come into force in Austria on Sunday banning the wearing of the full Islamic veil and other items concealing the face in public places and buildings. Exemptions "under certain conditions" include items like clown disguises "at cultural events," work wear such as medical masks, and scarves in cold weather, the government says. The restrictions are aimed at "ensuring the cohesion of society in an open society," it says. Violations will be punished with a fine of up to 150 euros ($177).

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Parliament Bans Full-Face Veil In Public

[world politics news]

Austrian members of parliament have approved a bill which bans garments that fully cover the face of women - the latest restriction for the country's Muslim population. The provision, adopted on Tuesday night, was backed by both ruling parties and means that people wearing full-face veils in public will be subject to a $166 fine starting in October. The ban is part of a larger package which also forbids the distribution of the Quran and requires all migrants in Austria to participate in an "integration" year during which they take classes to learn German and ethics considered customary in Austria.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Foreign Min/Integration Min. Kurz Says He "Understands" Need For US/Mexico Wall

[world politics news]

Austria’s Foreign and Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz has said that in principle he understands why Pres. Donald Trump has promised to build a wall between the US and Mexico."So far every American president has tried to regulate migration to the US, and every other country in the world is also trying to control migration and not to allow it to continue uncontrolled," Kurz told the Austria Press Agency.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Freedom Party Leader Vows Close Ties To Putin's Party; Meets With Trump Advisor

[world politics news]

President-elect Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, met with the leader of a far-right Austrian political party that has close ties with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin. The leader of Austria's Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, wrote on his Facebook page Monday that he met with Flynn "and a few other high-ranking US politicians" a few weeks ago at Trump Tower, including Flynn, whose ties to Russia have come under fire. He noted in the post that his party had recently signed a cooperation deal with Putin's United Russia Party.

#AUSTRIA: Indie Green Candidate Van der Bellen Defeats Right-Wing Pres. Candidate Hoffer

[world politics news]

In a result sure to be welcomed by supporters of  the European Union, Green Party-backed independent Alexander Van der Bellen, 72, swept 53.6% of the votes in Austria's run-off election Sunday, while his rival Norbert Hoffer of the anti-immigration Freedom Party received 46.4%, projections showed. On Facebook, Hoffer described himself as "infinitely sad" and congratulated Alexander Van der Bellen, former head of the Greens, on his victory. Although the post is ceremonial in Austria, the poll had been seen as a sign of how well populist candidates might do elsewhere in Europe.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Anti-EU Pres. Candidate Launches Campaign For "Re-Run" Election

[world politics news]

The Freedom Party successfully challenged the result of a presidential run-off election in May in which its candidate, Norbert Hofer, narrowly lost against former Green Party leader Alexander Van der Bellen.  The Constitutional Court of Austria ordered a re-run of the election, which will take place Oct. 2. Norbert is surging in popularity as anti-European Union feeling sweeps the nation.

#AUSTRIA: Anti-Immigrant Candidate Hofer Concedes Presidential Election To Independent Van der Bellen

[world politics news]

In a sign that Europe's migration crisis is having an impact on its political psyche, the anti-immigrant candidate of the Austrian Freedom Party, Norbert Hofer, barely lost his bid to become Austria's president to a pro-EU Independent sponsored by the Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen, who beat Hofer by just 31,000 votes among the 4.64 million cast. While a largely ceremonial position, the presidential race signals the rise of the Freedom Party, which did extremely well in the last parliamentary election.

#AUSTRIA: Head Of Rail System To Head Social Democrats, Become New Chancellor

[world politics news]

Austrian rail chief Christian Kern will become the country’s next chancellor. Werner Faymann stepped down as chancellor this week, following a revolt inside the party after it suffered a heavy defeat in the first round of a presidential election last month, in which the anti-immigration Freedom Party's candidate placed first.