Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been found guilty of perjury and sentenced to an eight-month suspended sentence by a Vienna court. The verdict, following a four-month trial, marked the first time in over three decades that a former Austrian chancellor faced trial.
The charges against Kurz stemmed from allegations of making false statements during a parliamentary inquiry into government corruption. Prosecutors accused the 37-year-old of providing misleading information in June 2020 regarding his involvement in establishing a holding company called OeBAG. Additionally, he faced scrutiny for false claims related to appointing his close confidant, Thomas Schmid, to a leadership position.
During the trial, a private copy of the indictment revealed incriminating text messages on Schmid's phone, who served as the main witness for the prosecution. Kurz vehemently denied the allegations, suggesting that the case was politically motivated.
Sebastian Kurz, once celebrated as a "wunderkind" of the Austrian People's Party, had previously resigned in 2021 amid a separate corruption probe. Rising to power at the age of 31 with an anti-immigration platform, he became Chancellor in 2017.
Throughout the proceedings, Kurz portrayed himself as a victim of selective prosecution, alleging an opposition plot to "destroy him." He claimed that, although informed about Schmid's appointment, he did not make the decision and refuted accusations of controlling everything.
Meanwhile, Schmid testified that Kurz had established a "system" wherein he wielded significant influence, possessing the power to veto personnel appointments in crucial companies. Prosecutors are still investigating Kurz on suspicion of embezzling public funds to manipulate polls and boost his image, but no convictions have been secured thus far.
In addition to the perjury charge, Kurz is also under separate investigation for allegedly using public funds to manipulate polls and purchase favorable media coverage during his 2017 campaign.
