Can the Austrian president refuse to appoint a far-right chancellor?
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Loading... - Veronica Condori
- 27 Jan 2023
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Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has distanced himself from the far-right leader Herbert Kickl, saying he would have to 'follow his conscience'.
Six years after his first election, Alexander Van der Bellen will be sworn in as Federal President for the second time on Thursday, Austrian media reported.
During an ORF interview, he distanced himself from the far-right leader Herbert Kickl, saying he couldn't be sure he would automatically task the extremist with forming a new government as Austrian chancellor even if Kickl's FBÖ party got more votes in a national election.
Van der Bellen said he would not "try to promote an anti-European party, a party that does not condemn Russia's war against Ukraine, through my actions".
READ ALSO: Austrian presidential elections: What exactly does the president do?
He added that "strictly speaking", the constitution does not state that the party with the most votes must be given the task of forming a government. But it does say that the Federal President appoints the chancellor - and does so in his "most personal decision".
So far, though, the Federal President in Austria has remained a largely ceremonial position, tasking the party with the most votes with forming a coalition and a government and then appointing the chancellor chosen by this coalition agreement.
At the same time, until now, in the new republic, the far-right has never received more votes than other parties. Currently, Kickl's far-right FPÖ party is leading voting intention polls, which could make for a dramatic situation in 2024 when the national elections come. Read More…
