Takes over from Nehammer

Van der Bellen’s Tschick brother Schallenberg

Alexander Schallenberg with the Federal President at the inauguration in January 2020 - now he will be interim chancellor for the second time.(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

It was less than two months that Alexander Schallenberg ruled Austria as chancellor. Now there will be a few more days, or rather a few more weeks - before the diplomat's political career comes to an end. The 55-year-old has already announced that he will no longer be available as a minister in a government led by Herbert Kickl.

The political career of the interim chancellor now nominated by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen is closely intertwined with the president. Some people say pointedly: the two get along simply because they are Chick brothers. In other words, both the president and the new and former chancellor are heavily addicted to nicotine. And behind the tapestry door in the Hofburg, all smoking bans in public buildings are suspended when the President has a craving for cigarettes. And if he also has an interlocutor who shares this vice, then they get on particularly well ...

Commentary on the major issues affecting Austria: Klaus Herrmann, Managing Editor-in-Chief(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Schallenberg's political career took off after Ibiza in 2019 - when he was appointed Foreign and European Affairs Minister in Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein's cabinet of officials, which was put together by Van der Bellen. Schallenberg was the only member of this government to "survive" and was then taken on as Foreign Minister in the second Kurz government.

When Sebastian Kurz had to step down as Chancellor in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, which had flared up again at the time, Schallenberg took over. In a "Krone" double interview together with Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler in November 2021, he issued some rather undiplomatic warnings to vaccination refusers, which were sometimes taken as threats. The decision to make vaccination compulsory, which was ultimately never implemented, was also made during his short time in office.

In any case, Schallenberg's first term in the Chancellery is not remembered as glamorous. Now he has a second chance.