VIENNA — Alexander Schallenberg, the Austrian Foreign Minister, is set to assume the role of interim leader as the far-right Freedom Party works toward establishing a new coalition government, according to the president’s office announcement on Wednesday.
At age 55, Schallenberg will take over the responsibilities of outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who announced his resignation after attempts to form a coalition without the Freedom Party fell through. Nehammer is expected to formally step down on Friday.
The office of President Alexander Van der Bellen stated that Schallenberg would be formally assigned to “continue managing the chancellery and lead the interim government.” This will mark Schallenberg’s second brief time in the position of Austria’s head, as he served as chancellor for a short period in late 2021 following the resignation of Sebastian Kurz, before returning to his post as Foreign Minister.
In the recent parliamentary elections held in September, the Freedom Party, known for its anti-immigration stance, euroskeptic views, and friendly relations with Russia, emerged as the winner, but initially faced rejection from other political parties.
Following Nehammer’s resignation, the conservative Austrian People’s Party made a significant shift in its prior stance, now open to collaborating with the Freedom Party under Herbert Kickl. On Monday, Kickl was given the mandate to negotiate the formation of what could become Austria’s first national government led by a far-right party since World War II. This negotiation process is expected to be lengthy and uncertain, potentially spanning weeks or even months.
Having spent most of his career in diplomacy, Schallenberg has been serving as foreign minister since 2019, aside from his short tenure as chancellor. He has expressed that he would not remain in the government if Kickl leads it.
Kickl has indicated that he will enter coalition negotiations with specific expectations from the People’s Party, emphasizing the need to recognize the outcome of the recent elections and the responsibility for past governance missteps. He is also willing to entertain the possibility of new elections if coalition talks do not succeed.
Christian Stocker, the interim leader of the conservative faction, stated on Wednesday that he intends to meet with Kickl to seek “honest answers to questions that are important for us and Austria.” He emphasized the necessity for clarity on whether the country aims to be a constructive and reliable member of the European Union or not, along with a clear direction regarding its global relationships, whether toward democratic nations or authoritarian regimes.
