Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz talks to media people after the verdict of his trial in Vienna, Austria, Feb 23, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

VIENNA - The Vienna Regional Court on Friday found former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz guilty of perjury and handed him an eight-month suspended jail sentence.

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The court ruled that Kurz had given false testimony before an investigative committee of the Austrian parliament, the Austrian news agency APA reported.

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Evidence showed that Kurz had exerted greater influence in the appointment of the supervisory board of the state holding company OeBAG than he subsequently admitted during the parliamentary investigation, according to the court ruling.

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Kurz, 37, served as the Austrian Chancellor from 2017 to 2019 and from 2020 to 2021. He stepped down as chancellor in October 2021 after being put under investigation due to allegations of corruption. In December 2021, he announced his withdrawal from politics.