AUSTRIAN FM ASSUMES OFFICE AS ACTING CHANCELLOR-The Freedom party has been tasked with forming a government
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has been sworn in as the acting chancellor today, succeeding fellow conservative Karl Nehammer who quit last weekend after his attempt to form a centrist coalition government without the far right failed.
The President of Austria, Alexander Van Der Bellen, while swearing in the new caretaker chancellor stated that he had entrusted the representation of the chancellor to the longest serving member of the federal government, in accordance with the prevention rule of Article 69 of the Federal Constitutional Law.
The current government, led by the People’s Party (OVP), has served in a caretaker capacity since September’s parliamentary election, which the Freedom Party (FPO) won.
The Freedom party has been tasked with forming a government and is due to start coalition talks with the People’s Party later today.
