Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has been assigned to temporarily govern the country while negotiations to form the country’s new ruling coalition continue.
Austrian Minister of Foreign AffairsAlexander Schallenberg was sworn in as interim chancellor on Friday after former leader Karl Nehammer resigned last weekend. His appointment comes after far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl was invited to lead coalition talks to form the country’s new government. After topping the polls in last September’s elections.
Nehammer decided to resign It collapsed when Neos withdrew after coalition talks between the People’s Party (ÖVP), the center-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos party aimed at keeping the FPÖ out of power. This will be Schallenberg’s second short term. As leader of Austria. He previously served as chancellor for less than two months in late 2021. Sebastian Kurz will resign before being transferred to Nehammer and will return to his duties as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Although FPÖ came first in the Austrian elections, other parties refused to work with it. ÖVP in particular said it would not work to work with the controversial Kickl, which it described as a “security risk”. ÖVP has made a 180-degree turn since Nehammer’s resignationNegotiations are continuing between the two parties to form a coalition. Schallenberg, long-serving diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2019He said he would not remain in a government led by Kickl.
For your part, Kickl says he plans to join coalition talks With clear demands, including respect for his party’s election victory and correction of past mistakes. Kickl is a polarizing figure in Austria and is known for his indiscriminate use of Nazi-era terms (he once called himself ‘Volkskanzler’) as well as Opposition to vaccines and quarantines during the pandemic.
But, party is now in a strong position to begin negotiationsLatest polls show that if the discussions are inconclusive and a new election is held, the FPÖ can only increase its support to 35 percent. Christian StokerInterim leader of the People’s Party He said he would meet with Kickl He would demand clear answers on issues important to his party and Austria.
