Austrian President, Alexander Van der Bellen, has urged the Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, to head the interim government after Chancellor Karl Nehammer steps down on Friday.
The presidential office made the announcement on Wednesday.
“Federal President Van der Bellen will instruct Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg to continue leading the chancellor’s federal office and head the interim federal government on Friday, Jan. 10.
“It will take place in the presidential chancellery,’’ the statement read.
Nehammer said over the weekend that he would step down as chancellor and as head of the Austrian People’s Party (OVP) after talks on building a coalition government failed.
The Freedom Party (FPO) won the general election on Sept. 29, with about 29 per cent of votes.
But the president asked Nehammer to lead negotiations to form a government after both OVP and Social Democrats (SPO) refused to cooperate with the winner. (RIA/NAN)
