New Austrian leader under fire in parliament, mocked as Kurz's puppet

Austria's Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg speaks during a session of the parliament in Vienna, Austria October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

VIENNA (Reuters) - Opposition parties attacked Austria's new Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg on Tuesday over his ties to his predecessor Sebastian Kurz, who quit over corruption allegations, while activists outside parliament mocked him as Kurz's puppet.

Kurz, 35, quit as chancellor under pressure from his junior coalition party, the Greens, after prosecutors placed him and nine others including close aides under investigation on suspicion of various degrees of bribery, corruption and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing.