Austria: female lawmakers walk out over swearing-in

BERLIN – Most female lawmakers have walked out of the Austrian parliament in protest at the swearing-in of an opposition leader who initially gave up his seat amid allegations of sexual harassment.

The Austria Press Agency reported that only deputy speaker Doris Bures and a few other women remained in their seats as Peter Pilz was sworn in as a lawmaker on Monday.

Pilz announced in November that he was giving up his seat but the 64-year-old, a former Green party parliamentarian who split away to form a new opposition party that won seats in October’s election, later reversed course.

Pilz was accused last fall of groping a young woman at a 2013 conference. He said at the time he had no recollection of any such incident.