Austria's Vice Chancellor Babler announces withdrawal from government and SPÖ chairmanship
Quick Look
- Austria's Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler has announced his resignation from government office and from the SPÖ chairmanship.
- Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer is to be his successor as Vice Chancellor, although the exact timing is still unclear due to Marterbauer's health recovery from cancer.
- Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized the need for government stability.
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Why It Matters
Andreas Babler is Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the SPÖ in the Austrian coalition government with ÖVP and Neos. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer publicly announced that he had cancer in the summer.
Austria's Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler has announced his resignation from his government position and from the chairmanship of the SPÖ. This is reported by the Reuters news agency and Austrian media. The new deputy of Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) should be the current Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer, said Babler. In doing so, the SPÖ wants to end internal personnel debates and ensure continuous government work.
An exact date for the change has not yet been set in view of Marterbauer's health recovery, said Babler. The Finance Minister made public that he had cancer in the summer.
Chancellor Stocker insisted on stability in view of the personnel debate in the SPÖ. The head of government said that discussions within the party should not affect the work of the government. “As Chancellor, it is my job to ensure stability.” All government parties must now devote their full efforts to implementing the government program. ÖVP and SPÖ govern in a coalition with the liberal Neos.
Babler also announced an orderly withdrawal from the party leadership: After the handover of the vice-chancellorship, the SPÖ women's leader Eva-Maria Holzleitner and parliamentary group leader Philip Kucher are to lead the party. Here too, the schedule is still unclear.
This article will continue to be updated.
Open Questions
- When exactly will the change of office from Babler to Marterbauer take place?
- How will Marterbauer's health situation affect the timing?
- Who will take over the SPÖ chairmanship in the long term after the handover to Holzleitner and Kucher?
