Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has accepted the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, in the wake of the release of a video showing Strache discussing the possibility of exchanging friendly media coverage for lucrative state business deals.
In a statement delivered from his office at noon, a visibly angry Strache said he was stepping down to protect the work of the government, but added he had been the victim illegal entrapment and a concerted "dirty campaign" aimed at discrediting him. He also rejected any suggestion he had committed any crimes.
"My person must not be the reason to undo [this work], and perhaps to provide a pretext to break up this government, because that was the aim of this illegal ... action," he said. "This was a targetted political assassination," he added.
Strache's departure leaves the chancellor with the choice of either dissolving the government and calling new elections, or attempting to maintain his coalition with the FPÖ under a new leader.