VIENNA (AP) — The Austrian People’s Party has nominated Christian Stocker, its General Secretary, as the interim leader following Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s anticipated resignation, as reported by the Austrian news agency APA. Nehammer disclosed on Saturday his intention to step down in the coming days after talks with the Social Democrats for a coalition government fell through.
Stocker, a lawyer and a member of the Austrian Parliament, has been serving as the General Secretary of the People’s Party since 2022. Regarded as an adept and composed crisis communicator, he has frequently appeared in Austrian media to defend contentious decisions. The identity of the acting chancellor until the formation of a new government remains uncertain.
Protected by special police forces, Nehammer traversed the square from the Chancellery to the president’s office in Vienna. “What is crucial for me is ensuring the continuation of stability and centrism,” he remarked. Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen will issue a public statement following the conclusion of his meeting with Nehammer to announce the subsequent course of action.
The 52-year-old Nehammer ascended to the role of chancellor and leader of the conservative party in 2021 following the resignation of his predecessor Sebastian Kurz amid corruption allegations. In a landmark move in April 2022, Nehammer became the first European leader to engage in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow since the onset of the Ukrainian invasion in February of that year. Prior to his visit to Moscow, Nehammer also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
Austria found itself embroiled in political upheaval on Friday after the liberal party NEOS withdrew from coalition discussions with the center-left Social Democrats and the conservative People’s Party. Subsequently, the two remaining parties, holding a slim majority in Parliament, endeavored to resume negotiations to establish a government. However, this renewed effort also ended in failure after a brief period, with negotiators unable to reach a consensus on addressing the budget deficit.
