Austrian politician quits over neo-Nazi fraternity scandal

BERLIN – A prominent far-right Austria politician caught up in a scandal over a student fraternity that promoted neo-Nazi ideas has resigned.

Udo Landbauer of the Freedom Party was elected Sunday to the regional assembly in Lower Austria but faced calls to quit over his ties to the Germania fraternity.

Austrian media recently revealed that one of the fraternity’s songbooks contained anti-Semitic lyrics.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz welcomed Landbauer’s decision Thursday.

Kurz told the Austria Press Agency that investigations into the matter would continue and “anyone who has committed a crime will be punished with the full force” of Austria’s anti-Nazi laws.

The Freedom Party, which was led by former Nazis in the postwar period, is the junior partner in Kurz’s national coalition government.