Austria's president seeks reelection after turbulent term
Austria President FILE - Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, attends press conference in Vienna, Austria, May 11, 2022. Austria's president said Sunday, May 22 that he will seek re-election later this year, following a term that has seen him pilot the Alpine country through repeated political upheaval. Van der Bellen beat the far-right Freedom Party's candidate, Norbert Hofer, in a December 2016 vote. That has given Van der Bellen high visibility. Austria's top politicians trooped in and out of Van der Bellen's Hofburg palace again last fall after Kurz, who had returned in a new government with the Greens, resigned.
wftv.comNehammer sworn in as Austria's third chancellor in 2 months
BERLIN — (AP) — Karl Nehammer was sworn in Monday as Austria's third chancellor in two months, capping a round of upheaval triggered by the decision last week of Sebastian Kurz, the country's dominant political figure of recent years, to bow out of politics. He also is taking over as leader of the conservative Austrian People's Party, which Kurz led to election wins in 2017 and 2019. Last week, Kurz — who had kept his party's leadership — announced that he was quitting politics. Schallenberg then announced his resignation, arguing that the chancellor should be the leader of the People's Party, and he didn't plan to seek the party post. “As the party with the most votes, the People's Party can of course decide itself who it wants to nominate and propose for ministerial jobs,” he said in an address to the nation.
wftv.comAustria swears in new chancellor after Kurz steps aside
Austria Government The new Austrian Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg is sworn-in by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen (not in the picture) in the presidential chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen swore in Alexander Schallenberg, the former foreign minister, as chancellor. Kurz became the leader of his Austrian People’s Party and then chancellor in 2017. “We all expect that the government will go back to work and move things forward together,” Van der Bellen said. “One thing is clear: I'm no shadow chancellor,” Kurz said in a statement.
wftv.comAustrian president demands that government restore trust
Austria Government Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen addresses holds a speech about the political situation in the country at his residence the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. The Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned on Saturday, October 9, to defuse a government crisis that was triggered by the announcement by the public prosecutor that he was the target of a corruption investigation. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner) (Lisa Leutner)Austria's president on Sunday welcomed Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's resignation and demanded that the country's politicians work hard to restore voters' trust after a several-day drama that brought the government to the brink of collapse. President Alexander Van der Bellen said he will swear in Alexander Schallenberg, currently Austria's foreign minister, as chancellor on Monday. Kurz became the leader of his Austrian People's Party and then chancellor in 2017.
wftv.comThe Latest: Pakistan says no rush to recognize Taliban gov't
Pakistan’s foreign minister says Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers should understand that if they want recognition and assistance in rebuilding the war-battered country “they have to be more sensitive and more receptive to international opinion and norms.”.
Hospitalized Czech president to return to work next week
Czech President FILE - In this Thursday, June 10, 2021 file photo, the President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman addresses the media during a joint press conference after their meeting at the Hofburg palace with the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, Austria. Czech President Milos Zeman was hospitalized on Tuesday Sept. 14, 2021, while his predecessor Vaclav Klaus was undergoing tests in the same hospital. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner, File) (Lisa Leutner)PRAGUE — (AP) — Czech President Milos Zeman who was hospitalized this week has undergone medical checks that haven't revealed any problems or disease that would threaten his life, the presidential office said on Thursday. Zeman’s office said doctors carried out CT scans, sonography checks and blood tests at Prague’s military hospital where the president was admitted Tuesday. During his current hospitalization, Zeman will receive unspecified infusions and will fully return to his duties next week, his office said.
wftv.comCzech president Zeman, predecessor Klaus hospitalized
Czech President FILE - In this Thursday, June 10, 2021 file photo, the President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman addresses the media during a joint press conference after their meeting at the Hofburg palace with the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, Austria. Czech President Milos Zeman was hospitalized on Tuesday Sept. 14, 2021, while his predecessor Vaclav Klaus was undergoing tests in the same hospital. (AP Photo/Lisa Leutner, File) (Lisa Leutner)PRAGUE — (AP) — Czech President Milos Zeman was hospitalized Tuesday while predecessor Vaclav Klaus was undergoing tests at the same hospital. An adviser to Zeman told Czech public radio that he was there for a regular check. He spent time at the hospital last weekend because of high blood pressure, his spokesman told Czech public television.
wftv.comReport: Austria approves Victoria Kennedy as new US envoy
BERLIN — (AP) — Austrian media report that the Alpine country has approved the appointment of Victoria Kennedy as the new U.S. ambassador in Vienna. Kennedy, a lawyer, is the widow of late U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Austria Press Agency reported late Tuesday that the office of Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen had confirmed the required “agrement” — diplomatic speak for approval — for Kennedy's appointment was issued. Kennedy still needs to be approved by Congress. Austrian broadcaster ORF quoted the country's chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, saying Kennedy's nomination was an “honor” for Austria.
wftv.comAustrian far-right candidate loses election
Austria's presidential election ended in a narrow defeat for a far-right candidate Monday. Alexander Van der Bellen beat his opponent Norbert Hoffer. If Hoffer would have won, he would have been the EU's first democratically elected right-wing head of state in post-Nazi Europe. CBS News correspondent Seth Doane has the latest from Vienna.
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