First modification:
This October 11, the conservative leader left his post as foreign minister and was sworn in as the new federal chancellor, replacing Sebastian Kurz, who resigned last Saturday after being investigated for alleged misuse of public funds to generate manipulated polls. Schallengerg said he will work “very closely” with Kurz and that the accusations are “false”.
The expected chip movement on the Austrian politics board came to fruition on Monday after Sebastian Kurz was officially dismissed as chancellor and replaced by Alexander Schallenger, who took the corresponding oath and has already taken office.
In the ceremony that took place in the Hofburg, the seat of the Austrian Presidency, the Conservative leader released his place as foreign minister to be the new federal chancellor after the head of state, Alexander van der Bellen, has removed Kurz after a week where accusations of corruption escalated.
However, Schallenberg did not hide his closeness to his predecessor and assured that he is determined to “work closely with Kurz” and was convinced that the accusations against him are false.
In this same act, Michael Linhart also assumed as Foreign Minister in the place left vacant by Schallenberg. Linhart, a 63-year-old diplomat, was ambassador to France until this Monday
Van der Bellen said that Schallenberg and Linhart will have the responsibility of facing a process to “regain the confidence of the population” after the scandals and investigations for corruption.
“I am confident that the coalition partners will be able to create a viable basis for stable government cooperation,” said the head of state. With these reforms, the coalition between conservatives and the Greens will be able to continue – demanded the departure of Kurz – and the president he believes he will soon overcome the scandal that broke out the week before.
Ich gehe meine neue Aufgabe als Bundeskanzler mit großem Respekt vor dem Amt und den bevorstehenden Herausforderungen an. Ich kann Ihnen versichern, dass ich alles in meiner Kraft Stehende tun werde, um unserem wunderschönen Land zu dienen. pic.twitter.com/CzYNPBh9Sw
– Alexander Schallenberg (@a_schallenberg) October 11, 2021
On the other hand, the opposition denounces that this is a protocol modification and that it will allow Kurz to move from the shadows. “All opposition parties agree that the Kurz system has not changed,” said Social Democratic MP Jan Krainer.
And he closed by assuring that “he is still pulling all the strings and the appointed Chancellor Schallenberg is part of the Kurz system.”
In addition, the leader of the liberal Neos party, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, demanded that the new chancellor fight against corruption: “My impression is that he intends to return to normality and act as if nothing had happened.”
Kurz left office for investigations against him
Last Saturday, Austria experienced a crisis with its federal chancellor after he resigned after being accused of corruption. Sebastian Kurz, 35, the top leader of the conservative Popular Party, reiterated his innocence, but still stepped aside. His proposed successor was Schallenberg.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office investigates Kurz and nine of his collaborators for embezzlement and embezzlement of public funds to commission, publish and disseminate manipulated surveys and journalistic coverage.
Despite leaving his post, he will not leave power: he will assume as director of the parliamentary group of his political front, where his influence is undisputed and he was re-elected in August as its leader with 99.4% support.
With Reuters and EFE
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