Austria Appoints Alexander Schallenberg as Interim Chancellor After Nehammer's Resignation

Jan 8, 2025, 09:02 AM

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has been appointed as the country's interim Chancellor following the resignation of Chancellor Karl Nehammer. Schallenberg, a member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), will lead the transitional government until a new coalition is formed. The appointment comes after Nehammer's efforts to form a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) failed. President Alexander Van der Bellen's office confirmed Schallenberg's role, marking his second stint as Chancellor after briefly serving in the position in 2021 following Sebastian Kurz's resignation. Schallenberg has expressed his unwillingness to serve in a government led by FPÖ's Herbert Kickl, who has been tasked with forming a new government.