<span style="color: #222222;">Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has asked for a snap election after his Vice-Chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, resigned over a corruption scandal. Kurz's People's Party is in government with Strache's Freedom Party.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Freedom Party leader stepped down after a secret video footage showing him discuss government contracts with an alleged Russian investor emerged.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Kurz said he has suggested to the president of the republic that new elections be carried out, at the earliest possible date.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said a snap election was necessary after Mr Strache stepped down.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Kurz has attempted to distance himself from past scandals surrounding the Freedom Party, mostly ones involving party officials and anti-Semitism or racism, but political opponents called for him to respond to the latest revelations. </span><br />