Veteran jurist to lead interim government after fall of Sebastian Kurz over ‘Ibizagate’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The president of Austria has appointed the country’s first female chancellor to lead an interim government until elections later in the year.

Brigitte Bierlein, the head of the constitutional court, will now be tasked with forming a cabinet after the previous government collapsed over the “Ibizagate” corruption scandal.

In a televised statement, and standing alongside Alexander Van der Bellen, the president, she said: “I will seek to win Austrians’ trust.”

Bierlein said she would hold talks with political parties and civil society organisations in the coming days. Referring to her appointment, she told gathered journalists: “If this is surprising for you, it is for me as well.”

Van der Bellen called Bierlein a “prudent, far-sighted and highly competent personality”.

Bierlein, 69, has been president of the constitutional court since last year and previously held several other prominent positions as a judge and prosecutor.

Her appointment comes after Sebastian Kurz became the first chancellor in modern Austrian history to be removed office by a no-confidence vote.

Opposition MPs brought the motion, saying Kurz had to take responsibility for the scandal that has engulfed his former far-right coalition partner.

The crisis began with the publication of hidden-camera footage in which the former Freedom party leader (FPOe) and vice-chancellor Heinz-Christan Strache appeared to offer public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian investor in exchange for help in the 2017 parliamentary election campaign.

The video led Strache to resign and prompted Kurz to end his coalition with the FPOe and call snap elections.

Kurz’s centre-right People’s party won 34.6% of the vote in Sunday’s European parliament elections, and at the moment looks on course to re-emerge as Austria’s largest party at the national elections.