October 06, 2017 - 2:15 AM
VIENNA - Ahead of national elections, Austria's Social Democratic Party is facing charges of violating anti-Nazi laws over Facebook platforms created by an adviser suggesting that a rival party's head has anti-Semitic sentiments.
Elisabeth Koestinger of the rival People's Party said Friday her party is asking federal prosecutors to investigate and press charges.
Israeli political adviser Tal Silberstein has acknowledged being behind the Facebook platforms. Both he and Social Democratic Chancellor Christian Kern say that Kern was not aware of them. Still the issue is hurting the Social Democrats ahead of Oct. 15 elections and making a coalition of the centre-right People's Party and the right-wing Freedom Party likely.
The Social Democrats fired Silberstein in August, following his detention in his homeland on suspicion of money laundering.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017