Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian politics with reference to the international interest
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Chancellor Bierlein Introduced Transitional Government to Parliament
"We stand for reliability and we are seeking trust", affirmed the first Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Brigitte Bierlein, at the beginning of her statement before the National Council plenary.
June 13, 2019
Cooperation of the Metropolises Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich
The three German-speaking cities of Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich want to cooperate more closely in their sustainable development within the framework of a city trialogue in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
June 12, 2019
Potential President of the EU Commission Michel Barnier Met Top of New Austrian Government
Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier was in Vienna to meet several members of the new government, including Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Officially, the Brexit negotiations were the focus of the talks, however, unofficially Barnier repeatedly shows interest as Jean-Claude Juncker's successor in the office of EU Commission President.
June 11, 2019
New Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg Inaugurated
The new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (49) was sworn in by the Federal President as Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. He succeeds Karin Kneissl.
June 5, 2019
Western Balkans: Austrians Demand EU Accession Negotiations Begin
After the EU Commission issued a recommendation for the opening of accession talks with the two Western Balkan states North Macedonia and Albania, the European parliamentarians of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) Karas and Mandl demand that the "promises" be kept. The decision to open accession talks will be taken by the Member States later in June.
June 5, 2019
Karas Remains Head of People's Party EU Delegation for One Year, then Follows Edtstadler
The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) members of the European Parliament have elected Othmar Karas as their leader for only one year. From 2020, the second on the list, Karoline Edtstadler, will automatically take over. As reported by Vindobona.org, Edtstadler received more preferential votes in the EU election than Karas, the previous head of delegation.
June 4, 2019
Turkish - Austrian Diplomatic Efforts Bear Fruit
According to outgoing Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has promised in a telephone conversation to ease the Turkish blockade of Austria in the "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" programme. The PfP is a NATO program aimed at creating trust between NATO and non-NATO members.
June 3, 2019
Headscarf Ban at Elementary Schools Confirmed by Austrian Federal Council
The so-called headscarf ban, the ban on covering the head of children from the age of six to ten for ideological and religious reasons, was approved by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) despite controversial debate. For Minister of Education Faßmann, the ban on headscarves corresponds to the socio-political consensus on the development of children as freely as possible and the necessity to overcome gender-specific stereotypes.
June 3, 2019
Criticism of the Lack of Foreign and European Policy Reports
The opposition, represented by Andreas Schieder (SPÖ), criticises the fact that for the last three years the Foreign Ministers Kurz and Kneissel have not submitted any annual Foreign and European Policy Reports for the purpose of reporting on fundamental foreign policy issues.
June 3, 2019
Government Declaration by Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein
The first female Federal Chancellor of Austria, Brigitte Bierlein, addressed herself after her inauguration in a short statement "to all Austrians and all people living in our country".
June 3, 2019
Swearing In of the Austrian Caretaker Government
Austria now has a transitional government team consisting of 12 people (six women and six men).
June 3, 2019
Combat Climate Change - António Guterres' Remarks at the R20 Austrian World Summit
Because of climate change all around the world the sea level is rising, floods, drought, wildfires and extreme storms appear, and people are now losing their homes and being forced to migrate. Read what António Guterres had to say in Vienna after a trip to the South Pacific.
May 30, 2019
Brigitte Bierlein to Become Austria's First Female Chancellor
The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Austria is to be appointed interim Federal Chancellor in a few days. Clemens Jabloner becomes Vice-Chancellor and Justice Minister. Alexander Schallenberg becomes Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs.
May 30, 2019 · Updated: May 30, 2019; 18:23
Clemens Jabloner Nominated Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Justice Minister
The former President of the Austrian Administrative Court for many years (1993 - 2013) and current University Professor of Legal Theory at the University of Vienna, Dr. Clemens Jabloner (70), is to become interim Vice-Chancellor and Justice Minister. This was announced by the new Austrian Interim Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein.
May 30, 2019 · Updated: May 30, 2019; 16:15
Alexander Schallenberg Appointed Austrian Foreign Minister and Minister for European Affairs
The new Austrian Interim Chancellor Ms. Brigitte Bierlein has declared her intention to appoint career diplomat and lawyer Dr. Alexander Schallenberg (50) as Karin Kneissl's successor and thus designated interim Foreign Minister and Minister for European Affairs.
May 30, 2019
"Climate Kirtag" with Greta Thunberg and Arnold Schwarzenegger
The climate protection conference "R20 Austrian World Summit" at the Heldenplatz in Vienna ended with appeals by climate protection activist Greta Thunberg and Arnold Schwarzenegger at the "Climate Kirtag".
May 29, 2019
Amerika Haus: Rushan Abbas About Concentration Camps in Xinjiang, China
Rushan Abbas, a Uighur American whose family members have been detained in China, spoke at the Amerika Haus Wien about various human rights violations against Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province. In her presentation "China’s Concentration Camps in a Muted World" she pointed out, that far West China’s Uyghur people, a minority Muslim group, face a high-tech police state, cultural genocide, and mass detainment in modern concentration camps.
May 29, 2019
EU Election Preferential Votes - Edtstadler ahead of Karas
Although Austrian People's Party top candidate Othmar Karas received more preferential votes than in the last EU election, after counting most of the preferential votes he is still behind the list second candidate Karoline Edtstadler (also Austrian People's Party).
May 28, 2019
Transitional Government Following the Dismissal of Cabinet Kurz - What's Next?
After Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's cabinet had been expressed no-confidence in a special session of the National Council, the government was removed from office today by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. In a speech last night, Van der Bellen outlined the next steps towards a transitional government until the National Council elections in September as follows.
May 28, 2019
Head of China's Top Legislative Body in Vienna
Li Zhanshu, one of China's most powerful politicians was in Vienna and was received by Austria's central institutions despite the domestic political turbulences.
May 28, 2019
European Elections 2019: Austrian Preliminary Final Results
The preliminary result of the 2019 European elections (without absentee ballot) has been announced. The Austrian People's Party won clearly ahead of the Austrian Socialist Party (SPÖ) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ). The Greens and NEOS followed in places 4 to 5. Votes cast by absentee ballot are not yet included in this result. The turnout without postal votes was 50.6%. In Vienna, the turnout including postal votes was 58.71%.
May 27, 2019
EU and UN - 40 Years Together in Vienna
Both the UN United Nations and the EU European Union celebrate their 40th anniversary in Vienna. The Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna was established as soon as the United Nations opened their Vienna headquarters in 1979.
May 27, 2019
Austrian Government Dismissed: National Council Denies Government Confidence
The parliamentary motion of no confidence of the Social Democrats (SPÖ) was supported by the right-wing populist Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Liste Jetzt. The majority of the members of the National Council thus expressed their distrust of Chancellor Kurz's government and removed it from office.
May 27, 2019
Austria's Government Faces Expected Motion of No Confidence
After the victory in the election to the European Parliament, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his government are threatened with an abrupt end. The Social Democrats (SPÖ) will table their own motion of censure against the entire Kurz cabinet. A clear decision by the Freedom Party (FPÖ) is still pending.
May 27, 2019
European Elections - Who Stands for Election and How Can a Non-Austrian EU Citizen Vote in Austria?
After the political earthquake in Austria and the end of the turquoise-blue government, the EU election on Sunday is eagerly awaited. A decision will be made on 18 EU mandates from Austria. In European elections, EU citizens are entitled to vote in Austria as long as they are registered in the European electoral register.
May 24, 2019
Ibiza Affair: Austria Has a New Minister of the Interior
Eckart Ratz took over from Herbert Kickl - in the context of an expert government formed by Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz as a result of the Ibiza Affair - the official duties and the office of the Federal Minister of the Interior until the inauguration of a new government after the early National Council election in September 2019. Like his predecessor Herbert Kickl, Eckart Ratz also does not mince his words.
May 23, 2019
Austrian Transitional Government Takes Office
President Van der Bellen has sworn in the new ministers Valerie Hackl, Walter Pöltner, Eckart Ratz and Johann Luif.
May 22, 2019
Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl to Remain in Transitional Government
While President Van der Bellen has removed Interior Minister Kickl from office, Foreign Minister Kneissl will remain in a transitional government at her own request.
May 21, 2019
Chancellor Sticks to Dismissal of Interior Minister - FPÖ Ministers Exit Government
Government crisis. Chancellor Kurz sticks to dismissal of interior minister. Right-wing populist FPÖ ministers leave government.
May 20, 2019
Ibiza-Video - New Elections in Austria after Vice Chancellor Resignation
After the release of the incriminating video of "foreign secret services" and the resulting resignation of Vice-Chancellor Heinz Christian Strache, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) headed by Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz calls for early elections as soon as possible. He had also informed the Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. "Enough is enough", Kurz said in a press statement on Saturday evening.
May 18, 2019
Standardised Austria-wide Autumn Holidays as of 2020/21
From the school year 2020/21 there will be uniform autumn holidays in Austria between National Day and All Saints Day - from 27 to 31 October - according to the unanimous decision of the Austrian National Council. There will be no additional school holidays, the teaching time will not be changed. Only the distribution of school-autonomous days will change. Specifically, the days off after Easter and Whitsun will be cancelled. This would ensure relief for pupils, teachers and parents.
May 16, 2019
Vienna Sticks to Iran Agreement
At the Eastern Partnership meeting in Brussels, the foreign ministers of the EU states discussed the rescue efforts for the nuclear agreement with Iran, specifically the maintenance of trade relations despite US sanction threats. Austria's Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl demanded that the nuclear agreement with Iran should be an EU priority.
May 16, 2019
Putin and Van der Bellen Open Sochi Dialogue Forum
The Sochi Dialogue Russian Austrian Forum was opened in the Black Sea port city as part of a working discussion between Russian and Austrian representatives from politics, business, science, education, art and culture.
May 15, 2019
Business Location - New Approach to Anchoring the State Goal of 'Economy'
The governing parties have made a new attempt to anchor the state goal of "economy". The bill received majority approval in the Constitutional Committee from the ÖVP and FPÖ, although a two-thirds majority remains questionable.
May 10, 2019
1989-2019: Europe Exhibition Opened at Vienna`s Heldenplatz
The new exhibition "Moving Moments - The End of the Division of Europe" (Bewegende Momente - Das Ende der Teilung Europas) looks back on the fall of the Iron Curtain and pays tribute to the achievements of the people in these mostly peaceful revolutions. It also shows how the European Union is seen today by young people from these countries.
May 10, 2019
Migration Agency Demands New EU Migration Policy
Vienna based think tank International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is teaming up with its 17 member states to draw up migration policy recommendations for the next EU Commission.
May 10, 2019
Commemoration Ceremony at the Mauthausen Concentration Camp
Memorial Day against Violence and Racism for the Victims of National Socialism and Liberation of the Mauthausen Concentration Camp on 5 May 1945, where 100,000 people were murdered.
May 6, 2019
UNESCO - Austria Awarded Two More World Heritage Sites
In addition to the currently troubled "Historical Centre of Vienna", which is to be preserved as a World Heritage Site, two other Austrian sites will be added to the World Heritage List at the next UNESCO meeting in Baku at the end of June. The "Danubian Limes" (Donaulimes), part of the former border of the Roman Empire, and the "Grossglockner High Alpine Road", the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. Thus Austria will have 12 World Heritage Sites starting in summer 2019.
May 6, 2019
National Council Chairman: Liechtenstein an Important Economic Partner
The Chairman of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka pays tribute to the Principality of Liechtenstein as neighbour and friend.
May 3, 2019
Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation
Almost 100 journalists were killed in 2018. The 2019 World Press Freedom Day discusses the current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.
May 3, 2019
Antisemitism in Austria - Initiative to Reverse Worrying Trends
As the Jewish community in Austria reports growing concerns about the rise of antisemitism, at the invitation of the FRA - EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, local and EU policymakers, Jewish community organisations and civil society met to discuss how to combat this worrying trend.
May 3, 2019
How Austria Shapes its Future with Artificial Intelligence
Austria's Government is currently working together with the consulting firm Accenture on an Austrian Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, which is to be finalised by summer 2019. A study shows that a 3 percent economic growth is possible. That much is already known.
May 3, 2019
CETA Complies with EU Law - Austria Signs Free Trade Agreement with Canada
The agreement had been provisionally in force since the previous year and exports to Canada had recently risen by 7.5 percent. Now that the European Court of Justice has ruled that CETA, especially the arbitral tribunals, is in conformity with EU law, this is welcomed in Austria by business-oriented institutions and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has confirmed his willingness to sign the agreement.
May 2, 2019
Foreign Minister of Albania Gent Cakaj Visits Vienna
Austria emphasises its continued support for the commencement of EU accession negotiations with Albania.
April 26, 2019
Belt and Road Initiative - China's Reconquest of the World
Many heads of state did refrain from appearing at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing this year, or are increasingly expressing themselves critically. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz also expressed his caution after meeting President Xi and Prime Minister Li Keqiang for talks.
April 26, 2019
Alibaba's Jack Ma Hosted Lower Austrian Business Delegation
In order to improve bilateral relations and exports between Lower Austria and the Chinese partner province Zhejiang near Shanghai, a large delegation from Lower Austria headed by Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner was touring East China this week. The plan is to increase goods exports by 100 million euros within four years.
April 26, 2019
IS Returnees to Austria - No Consular Protection Abroad
Austria adopted an autonomous consular law whereby consular protection abroad is regulated in a separate law for the first time and IS returnees can be denied consular protection.
April 26, 2019
National Council: Against Nuclear Power and Nuclear Waste Repositories at Austria's Borders
The Austrian National Council unanimously expressed its opposition both to nuclear waste disposal at Austria's borders and to the commissioning of the Mochovce 3 reactor, as well as to the obligations under the Nagoya Protocol on Biological Diversity.
April 26, 2019
Exclusive Mini-Davos Conference in Austria's Most Beautiful Ski Resort
European Commissioner Günther Oettinger invited for two days leading politicians, bankers and industrialists to his Europe Forum 2019 in Lech am Arlberg in the Austrian Alps.
April 26, 2019
Austrian Volker Türk Appointed Top UN Official
The Austrian lawyer and UN official Volker Türk was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as one of his deputies with the title Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination.
April 19, 2019
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