Austria’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is to succeed the resigned Alexander Schallenberg as the new Federal Chancellor. The 49-year-old announced in Vienna. He was also unanimously elected by the party executive as executive federal party chairman.
On Thursday, party leader and ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz surprisingly announced his complete withdrawal from politics. The politician, who was very popular until recently, triggered a personal domino effect that made it necessary to reorganize the government team.
In October, Kurz resigned as Chancellor in the course of corruption investigations against him and his closest colleagues, but remained party leader. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg moved up to the top of the government. The next rotation followed just a few weeks later: After Kurz’s resignation as ÖVP boss, Schallenberg announced that he would be leaving his office as Chancellor. The party chairmanship and the chancellery should again be in one hand, but he himself has no ambition for this dual function. Finance minister Gernot Blümel announced his retirement from politics a little later.
In contrast to Schallenberg, Nehammer is very well networked in the ÖVP. Among other things, he enjoys the support of the influential Prime Minister of Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, who openly stood up for him on Thursday. The former professional soldier and long-time party functionary Nehammer, like Kurz, stands for a tough stance against illegal migration and radical Islamist currents.
The Greens have no problem with a Chancellor Nehammer
Responsibility, solidarity and freedom would be among the central fundamental values of his policy, said Nehammer in an initial statement. “To be there for one another, to stand up for one another, to take care of one another”, that applies especially in the corona pandemic. According to experts, the 49-year-old was part of the extended, but not the closest, circle of friends of Kurz. “In contrast to Kurz, he also has intact connections to the Social Democrats,” said political scientist Thomas Hofer.
The Greens, who rule as junior partners in the coalition with the ÖVP, may have different views on migration policy, for example, but the Green Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler had already signaled before the announcement that he would have no problem with Nehammer as Chancellor. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen still has to formally swear in Nehammer as Chancellor. His role as party leader has yet to be confirmed by a party congress.
Nehammer wants to massively rebuild his cabinet. He announced several changes:
- The current Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg will be in his previous post as Foreign Minister return, which is currently held by Michael Linhart.
- Gerhard Karner, currently Second President of the State Parliament in Lower Austria and formerly press spokesman for the then ÖVP, will be appointed Minister of the Interior.Interior Minister Ernst Strasser.
- Magnus Brunner, previously State Secretary in the Climate Protection Ministry, is said to be new Finance minister will.
- Martin Polaschek, Rector of the University of Graz, replaces Heinz Faßmann as Minister of Education.
- The 26-year-old MP Claudia Plakolm moves back State Secretary in the Federal Chancellery on.
- Nehammer also announced that Bernhard Bonelli, closest confidante of ex-Chancellor Kurz, will not do more than Head of Cabinet will act. Nehammer has not yet presented a successor.
What’s next in Austria? Register for the free Austria newsletter.