It will succeed Sebastian Kurz, who announced his withdrawal of political life, just two months after leaving the head of the government.
Le Monde with AFP
The Popular Party has appointed the Minister of the Interior, Karl NEHAMMER, as Chef and Next Chancellor, replacing Sebastian Kurz.
“I was now designated unanimously by the OVP management [Österreichische Volksparti, the Popular Party, which has been the name of New Popular Party since 2017] as President of the Party and accordingly as Candidate for Chancellor, “said NEHAMMER in front of the press in Vienna. “I am extremely grateful, it is an honor and a privilege I did not expect,” he added. At 49, Karl NEHAMMER will become the fifth Austrian Chancellor named in this position since 2017. The date of his investiture has not yet been fixed.
The Political Manager has announced on this occasion a vast ministerial reshuffle. The Minister of Finance, Gernot Blümel, has already announced his resignation. Alexander Schallenberg, which Mr. Kurz had appointed in October to succeed the Chancery after being implicated in a corruption scandal, “said Thursday night” ready to leave his post “. He will find his portfolio of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Surprise resignation and withdrawal of Sebastian Kurz
The day before, Sebastian Kurz has announced his withdrawal from political life, two months after leaving the government’s head. He had remained at the direction of his training he also presided over the parliamentary group, but he explained to have started “a new chapter”, saying “worn” by the recent charges of the parquet.
In October, several places, whose chancery and the Ministry of Finance, were searched as part of a survey of suspicion of diversion of public funds between 2016 and 2018.
This alleged embezzlement was aimed at funding the release of falsified surveys and comprehensive media coverage for Sebastian Kurz in the media of an influential Austrian press group, Österreich. In exchange, the latter was rewarded via the purchase of lucrative advertising inserts, according to the parquet elements. The Conservatives are part of the executive in Austria since 1987 and govern either with the Social Democrats or with the extreme right. At the beginning of 2020, they formed an unprecedented coalition with ecologists.