Peter Pilz, Austrian politician quits party

Peter Pilz had quit his newly formed anti-establishment party on Saturday.

The prominent Austrian politician took this decision over sexual harassment allegations against him.

“I’ve always fought for strict standards and these standards also apply to me,” the 63-year-old said in a statement.

The announcement came after news weekly Falter confronted him early Saturday with allegations of sexual misconduct.

A young woman told the newspaper that a very inebriated Pilz had groped her in 2013 at a major annual discussion forum in the western town of Alpbach. “His hands were everywhere,” she was quoted as saying by Falter.

The woman said two other forum participants eventually dragged the politician away.

Pilz said he could not remember the incident, but took the allegations “extremely serious”.