Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stated on Saturday that he is resigning from his position due to the ongoing corruption probe against him being conducted by the Austrian prosecution. At the same time, he will remain a member of parliament and leader of the Austrian People's Party.
Kurz stressed that he made his decision in order to "make space" and to ensure that the nation has a "government that is stable".
"What we need now is stability. That’s why I want to step aside to help resolve this stalemate, prevent chaos and guarantee stability", Kurz said.
His resignation was announced as the opposition was planning to submit a no-confidence motion against Kurz on Tuesday.
Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz speaks to the media at a news conference during the Vienna Integration Conference in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Nov. 9, 2015.
© AP Photo / Ronald Zak
Earlier this week, the prosecution confirmed it had launched an investigation into Kurz and nine other politicians, charging them with bribery and media manipulation. According to the prosecution, the Finance Ministry used public funds to manipulate opinion polls in favour of the People's Party between 2016 and 2018. The investigators conducted searches in the Austrian Federal Chancellery, the office of Kurz's party, and in the Finance Ministry.
The politician denied the allegations against him, calling the accusations "baseless".