Another Austrian politician goes as scandals rage

VIENNA (Reuters) – Corruption scandals in Austria’s southernmost province claimed another victim on Wednesday when the head of the right-wing Freedom Party of Carinthia (FPK) quit, saying he could no longer put up with constant “media baiting”.

Uwe Scheuch announced he would exit politics but insisted this was not an admission of wrongdoing in a widening furor that is getting huge media attention and could play a role in national elections due next year.

His brother Kurt took over Scheuch’s vacant posts.

Scheuch, who was also deputy governor of the province, leaves just days after Carinthia’s conservative leader resigned while admitting in court he took part in a kickback scheme to milk money from the sale of state bank Hypo Alpe Adria in 2007.

The abrupt departure of People’s Party (OVP) regional head Josef Martinz last week capped a series of corruption scandals that have dented confidence in public officials and prompted Austria’s parliament in June to adopt a sweeping ethics package.

Carinthia is a stronghold for the Freedom Party, whose eurosceptic and nationalist themes have put the country’s largest opposition party in a strong position to challenge the coalition of center-left Social Democrats (SPO) and the center-right OVP in elections due by September 2013.

Political analysts say the drumbeat of corruption headlines could hurt the OVP and Freedom in the next national elections, boosting chances for the SPO-led coalition to remain in power by dashing prospects for a right-of-center governing alliance.

 

Yahoo News has the full article

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