Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz speaks to media as he arrives at the Austrian People's Party (OeVP) conference in Graz, Austria May 14, 2022.
REUTERS/Lisa Leutner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVIENNA, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Austria's conservative former chancellor Sebastian Kurz went on trial for perjury on Wednesday in a case separate from the corruption investigation that forced him from office but which could still influence his ruling party's electoral fate.
Kurz, who denies all the allegations made against him, has quit politics yet the ruling coalition he formed with the left-wing Greens in 2020 remains in power.
Kurz's People's Party (OVP) is currently neck-and-neck with the opposition Social Democrats in opinion polls, well behind the far-right Freedom Party on around 30%.
As chancellor, Kurz was one of Europe's youngest leaders and a household name in German-speaking countries known for his hard line on immigration.
Persons:
Sebastian Kurz, Lisa Leutner, Kurz, Kurz's, Gernot Bluemel, Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Francois Murphy, Alexandra Schwarz, Christina Fincher
Organizations:
Austrian, Austrian People's Party, REUTERS, Rights, Greens, Kurz's People's Party, Social, Party, OVP, Thomson
Locations:
Graz, Austria, Vienna