Austrian chancellor seeks to ban neo-Nazi fraternity

BERLIN (AP) - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says he's opening proceedings to have a student fraternity shut down for promoting neo-Nazi ideals.

The APA news agency reported Wednesday that Kurz told reporters he'd agreed with Interior Minister Herbert Kickl to try to shut down the small Germania fraternity after Austrian media reported its songbook contained neo-Nazi lyrics.

The report revealing the songbook lyrics focused on Freedom Party state lawmaker Udo Landbauer, who served on Germania's board. He said he's never heard the songs sung.

Still, Kurz said there should be political consequences, but that was for the Freedom Party to decide.

The Freedom Party, which was led by former Nazis in the postwar period but has distanced itself from that past, is the junior partner in Kurz's new national coalition government.