Big news from Europe! 🇦🇹 Christian Stocker has officially taken the reins as Austria's new chancellor, heading a historic three-party coalition. This marks the end of Austria's longest stretch without a government in its modern history.
After the Freedom Party (FPOe) secured almost a third of the votes in September's elections, they aimed to lead Austria's first far-right government. However, their bid fell short, paving the way for the conservative People's Party (OeVP) and two centrist parties to team up.
Stocker was sworn in at the majestic Hofburg Palace in Vienna by President Alexander Van der Bellen. In his remarks, Van der Bellen stressed the need for a stable government amidst "challenging" times, especially in light of recent geopolitical tensions like the White House spat between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
\"In Europe, there must be a new way of sticking together, both politically and in terms of joint peacekeeping,\" Van der Bellen added.
The new cabinet members joined Stocker in bringing hope for a united and stable Austria. Before stepping into the chancellorship, Stocker, a 64-year-old lawyer and passionate fly-fisherman, took over the OeVP leadership in 2022 after former chancellor Karl Nehammer stepped down following unsuccessful coalition talks.
When he's not steering Austria's political ship, Stocker enjoys playing golf and the saxophone. From deputy mayor in Wiener Neustadt to the general secretary of the OeVP, his journey to the top has been both unique and inspiring.
Reference(s):
Austria's unlikely chancellor starts job of leading historic coalition
cgtn.com
