Ex-leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party to withdraw from politics – Deutsche Welle

Heinz-Christian Strache is withdrawing from politics and suspendinghis membership in Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FP), he said on Tuesday morning.

"Out of loyalty for my supporters, it is essential that I avert any further damage to the Freedom Party and prevent any internal divisions," said Strache ata press conference in Vienna.

Read more:Austria: Secret video ensnares far-right leader

Strache, who led the FP for 14 years,also served as vice chancellor from 2017 to 2019, before he was forced out ofthe government in May when video footage emerged of him appearing to offerpublic contracts in exchange for campaign help from what turned out to be a fake Russian backer in Ibiza.

The "Ibiza" scandal, as it became known, led to Strache losing his job in a vote of confidence supported by left-leaning parties and conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. At the time, the FP was the junior coalition party toKurz's conservative People's Party.

The government then called for a snap election, which was held on Sunday.TheFP suffered a heavy loss, winning just 16% of the vote, down 10 percentage points from 2017.

Read more:Austria's far right loses ground as Sebastian Kurz wins landslide

Until Tuesday, Strache had left open the possibility of seeking public office again in the future. The former vice chancelloris also under investigation for thealleged misuse of party funds. In Tuesday's press conference, he repeated his claim that he wasthe victim of a conspiracy against his party.

knp/rc (AP, dpa)

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Ex-leader of Austria's far-right Freedom Party to withdraw from politics - Deutsche Welle