Austria calls for early elections

On May 18, Austrian Chancellor and Chairman of the Austrian People's Party (OVP), Sebastian Kurz, called for early elections, after Vice Chancellor and leader of the Freedom Party (FPO), Heinz-Christian Strache, resigned over allegations of corruption and causing internal instability in the ruling coalition between the FPO and OVP, Reuters and the Vietnam News Agency reported.

Monday, May 20, 2019 04:14

Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache addresses the media in Vienna, Austria, May 18, 2019. (Photo: Reuters)

Austrian President Alexander Van der Belle agreed with Kurz's call for early elections. Both Austrian leaders condemned corruption, which badly affects Austria's reputation. The early elections are expected to be held in September.

* Earlier, on May 17, Vice Chancellor Strache announced his resignation after German media published a video of Strache appearing to offer to help a woman with relation to an influential figure in Russia to win government contracts in exchange for financial and political support in the Austrian's 2017 parliamentary election. Strache admitted acting in a poor way.