New Chancellor in Austria: Who takes the helm to Nehammer?

New Chancellor in Austria: Who takes the helm to Nehammer?

Austria is faced with a political upheaval: Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has announced that he will appoint an interim chancellor this week. The outgoing Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has announced his resignation for Friday. According to media reports, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Minister of the Constitution Karoline Edstadler are considered favorites for the successor. However, a definitive statement on the part of the presidential office is still pending, as reported by OE24.

Alexander Schallenberg, whose political career is mainly linked to the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), has already experience in the Chancellery. He took over the office after Sebastian Kurz's resignation and was Chancellor from October 11 to December 2, 2021 before returning to Foreign Minister. Schallenberg, who has been on Foreign Minister again since 2021, has the necessary qualifications through his diplomatic training and extensive experience in international matters. His family has noble roots, which makes him the first chancellor from a former nobility family since Kurt Schuschnigg, as the information on Wikipedia shows.

Waiting for the decision

In the run -up to the appointment, the presidential office remained vague in relation to the process of succession planning. The exact criteria and considerations that lead to the decision for the Interim Chancellor are still unclear. While the ÖVP is underneath and over it, Schallenberg's role will be decisive in the coming days to ensure stability in Austrian politics.

The decision who van der Bellen will ultimately appoint could have far -reaching effects on the political direction of the country. Schallenberg's review of political challenges during his terms, especially when dealing with Covid-19 pandemic and international diplomacy, underpins its suitability for the temporary leadership of the country. A look at his political career offers an indication of which type of leadership Austria could expect in a critical phase, as can be read on Wikipedia.