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Austrian interior minister becomes candidate for country’s next chancellor

Karl Nehammer noted that it was a great honor for him
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer AP Photo/Lisa Leutner
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer
© AP Photo/Lisa Leutner

VIENNA, December 3. /TASS/. Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer announced on Friday that the ruling Austrian People’s Party elected him as its new leader, thereby becoming a candidate for the Chancellor’s post.

"I can inform you that today the party’s presidium unanimously appointed me as their new leader [of the Austrian People’s Party], and I became a candidate for the Chancellor’s post for consultations with the federal president. It’s a great honor for me," Nehammer told a press conference in Vienna.

He also mentioned the planned reshuffle in the party’s government team. Nehammer picks his successor Alexander Schallenberg as the next foreign minister. "The Foreign Ministry would be headed by a man who, in my opinion, has been and will be a distinguished foreign minister - Alexander Schallenberg. I will discuss these proposals with the president," Nehammer added.

According to the designate-chancellor, the reshuffle will take place in other ministries too. Magnus Brunner will be chosen as Finance Minister, Gerhard Karner will be appointed as Interior Minister, the Ministry of Education, Science and Research will be headed by Martin Polacek.

On December 2, Austria’s ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that he is stepping back from politics following the birth of his son. As a result, ruling Chancellor Alexander Schellenberg declared his readiness to resign in order to pave the way to the new leader for the country’s People’s Party and the head of the government. Austrian media reported that acting Interior Minister Karl Nehammer should be elected as the new Chancellor.