Kurz Under Major Pressure As Greens Question Position Amid Graft Probe

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is under significant pressure amid anti-corruption raids on his offices and the gov'ts junior coalition partner calling the chancellor's position into question.

• Kurz's offices and the HQ of his centre-right People's Party (OVP) were raided by Austrian police yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged bribery by Kurz and his allies to opinion pollsters and media editors/pundits in exchange for favourable coverage. Kurz also faces possible indictment on another charge of perjury in his testimony to a parliamentary probe last year.
• So far the leadership of the environmentalist Greens, which sit as the junior partner to Kurz's OVP in the federal gov't, have stated that they will continue to support the gov't for the time being. However, some Green parliamentarians have called Kurz's position into question.
• There remains a non-negligible chance of the Austrian gov't collapsing at short notice, risking a political vacuum or a snap federal election.
• Kurz has denied the allegations, stating that "I'm convinced that these charges will also soon be proved to be false,"
• Opinion polling shows the OVP still the most popular party in Austria and best placed to lead the next gov't should a snap election take place. However, it remains to be seen the impact that the raids will have on voting intentions.