Former EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn Set to Take Over as National Bank President
According to media reports, former EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn (ÖVP) is set to take over the influential position of President of the General Council of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB).
According to reports, former EU Commissioner Hahn (ÖVP) is set to become the new president of the OeNB General Council. / Picture: © European Parliament
The ÖVP, which has the right to nominate candidates for this position under the coalition agreement, is said to have settled on the 68-year-old. According to ORF, official approval by the Council of Ministers is already expected. The position at the head of the OeNB General Council has been vacant since November 30. Hahn's possible appointment follows the resignation of Harald Mahrer, who stepped down as OeNB president after sustained criticism.
Mahrer's move was a consequence of fierce public criticism sparked by his accumulation of salaries—he received remuneration as president of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), chairman of the Economic Association, and OeNB president—as well as by events at the WKÖ. As a result of the unrelenting criticism, Mahrer also stepped down as head of the WKÖ shortly thereafter. The General Council of the OeNB is currently headed on an interim basis by Vice President Ingrid Reischl.
Long-standing EU politician with government experience
Johannes Hahn has an extensive political background. Most recently, the ÖVP politician was Austrian EU Commissioner in Brussels from 2014 to 2024, where he was initially responsible for enlargement and neighborhood policy and subsequently for budget and administration. Prior to that, Hahn served as Austria's Minister of Science between 2007 and 2010.
With the possible appointment of Johannes Hahn, the Austrian National Bank would gain a figure with extensive experience at European and national political levels. As President of the OeNB General Council, Hahn, who is now 68-year-old, would formally perform the supervisory function of the National Bank's activities that do not fall within the remit of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). According to reports, the position comes with an annual salary of around €88,000.
The appointment of the long-serving EU commissioner, who was only appointed EU Special Envoy for Cyprus in May 2025, underscores the value and political weight that the government attaches to filling this key position. Hahn's internationally honed profile is expected to help strengthen the national bank's reputation.