Austrian lawmakers voted in parliament Thursday to lift the immunity of former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, clearing the way for an investigation into corruption allegations to proceed.
Kurz resigned last month as chancellor but remained an MP after a police raid on his office over accusations that he used public money to bribe pollsters and journalists. He has denied the allegations and questioned the integrity of the prosecutors behind the investigations.
Kurz remains leader of his center-right Austrian People’s Party as well as head of the parliamentary group.
He said this week, before Thursday’s vote, that he was “happy” his immunity would be lifted, “because that is the basis for a quick process.”
“What I know is that I haven’t been criminally guilty of anything,” he added.