Austrian deputies vote against Kurz government

Austrian lawmakers decided on Monday that the conservative government of the conservative government, Sebastian Kurz, would be removed from office, adopting a motion of censure a few days after becoming an interim administration in the wake of a scandal.

The Kurz People's Party came first in Sunday's European Parliament elections, only a week after vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) resigned and Kurz put an end to the coalition between his parties.

Kurz hoped to use his Chancellor position during the transition as a stepping stone for re-election, presenting himself more as a victim of the political crisis triggered by the video than as a facilitator of it that had brought the far right to power. .

But with the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for September, opposition parties said Kurz must share the blame and vote for his minority government – in which the OPS ministers had been replaced by government officials – at the same time. the decline.

"Kurz missed his chances and, Chancellor, you take full responsibility," said Joerg Leichtfried, head of the Social Democratic Deputy Parliamentary Faction (SPO), a few minutes before the motion was tabled. by his party.

OPS legislators had previously unanimously agreed to support the OPS motion. Together, the two parties hold a 103-seat majority in the 183-seat Lower House.

The Austrian president must now appoint a new Chancellor to set up an interim government that can last until the elections. Although he could in principle choose Kurz again, it is very unlikely.

"Few people in this country can understand, overthrow the government a few months before the elections," Kurz told parliament before the vote, posing as a factor of stability after the scandal that struck his partner in the coalition.

Despite the scandal, the Kurz People's Party (OVP) won a larger share of the European ballot than in the 2017 general election, while the SPO share declined.

The OPS leader, Strache, resigned from all his political posts after the video footage, which appeared to show him that he was discussing the resolution of government contracts, was published by two German media outlets.

Vienna prosecutors said they were investigating the sting video "in several directions", but declined to provide further details. Strache denies doing anything illegal.

"Parliament will have a say on Monday," Kurz said on Facebook before the censorship vote. "But at the end of the day, the people will decide, namely in September."

Herbert Kickl, of the FPO, whom Kurz forced to leave his position as Minister of the Interior, foresaw a different outcome. "This seizure of power is disgusting (…) voters will also decide in September," he told lawmakers.