Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will take over as caretaker chancellor on Wednesday, succeeding Karl Nehammer.  

The appointment follows Nehammer’s surprise resignation after his centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP/EPP) failed to form a government with the Social Democrats and the liberal NEOS (Renew), who withdrew from the talks. 

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. 

Schallenberg, a member of Nehammer’s party, has served as foreign minister since 2019. He briefly assumed the role of chancellor in 2021 following Sebastian Kurz’s resignation amid corruption allegations. 

The appointment is intended to ensure the continuation of official business until a new coalition is formed. 

Government formation talks are ongoing, as the country’s President Alexander van der Bellen tasked the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ/PfE) leader Herbert Kickl with forming a new government on Monday. 

FPÖ won 29% of the vote in the September election, marking a “new era” for Austria. While the party had been part of several coalitions, it had never topped a general election or held the chancellorship.

After receiving the mandate for exploratory talks, Kickl announced that he had invited the ÖVP to engage in “honest negotiations.” “No little games, no tricks, no sabotage,” he stated. 

In 2023, Schallenberg stated that he would not stay in government if Kickl assumed a leading role. If that were the case, the foreign minister would “certainly not be called Schallenberg,” he stated.  

[Edited by Martina Monti]

Source: Euractiv.com