Austrian President Approves New Government Composition Proposed By Interim Chancellor

VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2019) Austrian Interim Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein said on Sunday that Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen had accepted her proposal on the composition of the country's transitional government.

On Thursday, Van der Bellen appointed Bierlein, who previously was the president of the Austrian Constitutional Court, as the interim chancellor after former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had been dismissed amid political scandal. Bierlein will lead the country's transitional government until early parliamentary elections in September.

According to the Austria Press Agency (APA), the president has already held a conversation with each of the appointed ministers. The transitional government will take oath on Monday.

As previously announced by Bierlein, Clemens Jabloner, who has chaired the Administrative Court for two decades, will serve as interim Vice-Chancellor and Justice Minister, while Alexander Schallenberg will be interim Foreign Minister.

Schallenberg previously headed the European department in the Office of the Chancellor and worked closely with Kurz.

Wolfgang Peschorn, previously the chairman of the financial prosecutor's office, will be interim Interior Minister. The finance ministry will be headed by Eduard Mueller, previously the head of one of the departments in this ministry. He will also lead the sport ministry.

Andreas Reichhardt, who previously served as secretary-general of the Austrian Transport Ministry, will become interim Transport Minister, while Maj. Gen. Thomas Stallinger will be interim Defense Minister.

Maria Patek will lead the agriculture ministry, Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl will be interim Economy Minister, and Iris Eliisa Rauskala will be in charge for education in the country. All of them previously led departments in relevant ministries.