Modi Congratulates Austria’s New Chancellor Christian

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Christian Stocker who was sworn in as the new Chancellor of Austria and said that he looked forward to working with him to take “mutually beneficial cooperation” between the two nations to unprecedented heights.

PM Modi noted that the enhanced partnership between India and Austria is poised to make steady progress in the years to come.

In a post on X, “Warmly congratulate H.E. Christian Stocker on being sworn in as the Federal Chancellor of Austria. The India-Austria Enhanced Partnership is poised to make steady progress in the years to come. I look forward to working with you to take our mutually beneficial cooperation to unprecedented heights.”

Stocker was sworn in on Monday at the head of a three-party coalition government in Austria, ending five months of political deadlock that came after a far-right party’s victory in the election. The swearing-in ceremony took days after Stocker said that his Austrian People’s Party (OVP), the centre-left Social Democrats and the liberal Neos had agreed on a “common programme,” Al Jazeera reported.

The formation of the coalition government came after separate bids by the three parties and the far-right Freedom Party, which secured the majority of votes in the September 29 parliamentary elections, ended without an agreement.

The new government faces significant challenges, including a recession, rising unemployment, and a strained budget. According to an Al Jazeera report, the coalition agreement between the three parties includes plans for stricter asylum rules in Austria.

At the swearing-in ceremony at Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen said, “One could say ‘good things come to those who wait’. That, in any case, is my hope in view of the many days it took to form this government,” referring to the country’s longest government formation process since World War II.

Stocker assumed the Chancellor’s position despite not having campaigned for the role during the polls and lacking experience in national government, Al Jazeera reported. Prior to becoming a lawmaker in 2019, Stocker served as deputy mayor in his native Wiener Neustadt.

Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler is Austria’s Vice Chancellor, while Neos head Beate Meinl-Reisinger assumes the role of the country’s Foreign Minister. Key conservative ministers like Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner retained their positions. However, Markus Marterbauer has been appointed to lead the Ministry of Finance. (ANI)