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Austria minister Heinz-Christian Strache resigns amid video scandal | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Austria's Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache has resigned a day after secret video footage mired him in a corruption scandal. | |
The video appeared to show Mr Strache discussing government contracts with an alleged Russian investor in return for campaign support. | |
He also appeared to hint at a potentially illegal donation system for the far-right Freedom Party he leads. | He also appeared to hint at a potentially illegal donation system for the far-right Freedom Party he leads. |
Mr Strache said that transport minister Norbert Hofer will replace him. | |
He said he was leaving to avoid further damage to the government and claimed he had been the "victim of a targeted political attack" which had used illegal means. | |
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of the centre-right People's Party is expected to give a statement on the matter soon. | |
The video, allegedly filmed on the Spanish island of Ibiza in 2017, was published on Friday in a joint report by Der Spiegel and the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. | |
It is unclear who set up the meeting and who filmed it. | |
The footage shows Mr Strache and Johann Gudenus - also a Freedom Party politician - talking to a woman who claimed to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. She told the pair that she was looking to invest in Austria. | |
Both politicians can be seen smoking and drinking while relaxing on sofas. | |
The woman offers to buy a 50% stake in Austria's Kronen-Zeitung newspaper and switch its editorial allegiance to the Freedom Party. | |
Mr Strache names several journalists who would have to be "pushed" from the newspaper. | |
He also appears to suggest that she could be awarded public contracts. |