Politics Austria: Schallenberg becomes acting chancellor
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is to assume the office of Chancellor in Austria during the current phase of government formation. This was announced by the office of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.
08.01.2025, 10:50
SDA
The previous head of government Karl Nehammer announced his resignation at the weekend after his efforts to form a coalition of centrist parties failed. He intends to formally step down on Friday. On the same day, Schallenberg is to take over the administration of the Federal Chancellery and the chairmanship of the government on an interim basis in addition to his ministerial office.
President Van der Bellen appointed the leader of the right-wing populist FPÖ, Herbert Kickl, to form the government on Monday. He wants to form a coalition with the conservative ÖVP.
ÖVP politician Schallenberg does not want to be part of an FPÖ-led government. The 55-year-old has served as Austria's chief diplomat since 2019 - with a brief interruption: he also took over the chancellorship for a few weeks at the end of 2021 during a political transition phase. He now has the task of continuing the previous cabinet of conservative and Green ministers on an interim basis.
Schallenberg does not want to join the FPÖ government
The right-wing FPÖ won the election in the fall and relegated the previous chancellor's party, the ÖVP, to second place. Following the collapse of talks about a centrist government, the ball is now in Kickl's court. ÖVP leader Christian Stocker wanted to comment on the next steps on Wednesday afternoon.
Foreign Minister Schallenberg is considered pro-European and supports the EU sanctions against the belligerent Russia. Kickl, on the other hand, is critical of the EU and pro-Moscow. It is precisely in these areas that the FPÖ and ÖVP would have to overcome major differences in order to form a government.
