Conservative Christian Stocker Sworn in as Austria’s Chancellor, Leading Three-Party Coalition
Austria’s political deadlock, which lasted five months following a far-right party’s election victory, has finally ended with conservative Christian Stocker being sworn in as chancellor. He now leads a three-party coalition government.
The swearing-in ceremony took place on Monday, just days after Stocker announced that his Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), the centre-left Social Democrats, and the liberal Neos had agreed on a “common programme.”
The formation of this coalition government came after separate attempts by the same three parties and the far-right Freedom Party failed to reach an agreement. Despite winning the most votes in the September 29 parliamentary elections, the Freedom Party was excluded from the ruling coalition.
The new government faces significant challenges, including rising unemployment, a recession, and a strained budget. Its coalition agreement includes plans for stricter asylum rules in the EU nation of nine million people.
At the swearing-in ceremony held at Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, President Alexander Van der Bellen remarked, “One could say ‘good things come to those who wait.’ That, in any case, is my hope in view of the many days it took to form this government.” He was referring to Austria’s longest government formation process since World War II.
Van der Bellen added, “This process certainly took a long time. Whether it will turn out well now isn’t yet decided, but we are positive and optimistic. That is down to us all.”
Stocker, 64, assumes the role of chancellor despite not having campaigned for the position during the elections and lacking experience in national government. Before becoming a lawmaker in 2019, he served as deputy mayor in his hometown of Wiener Neustadt, a city near Vienna.
Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler has been appointed vice chancellor, while Neos head Beate Meinl-Reisinger takes over as foreign minister, replacing Alexander Schallenberg. Schallenberg, who served as interim chancellor after former Chancellor Karl Nehammer resigned following the collapse of government formation talks, is not part of the new cabinet.
Key conservative ministers, such as Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner, have retained their positions. However, the Ministry of Finance has shifted from the ÖVP to the Social Democrats, with Markus Marterbauer appointed as its new head.
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