Vienna: Austria’s new caretaker government aims to earn the respect of citizens after the corruption scandal that was triggered by the so-called Ibiza video, Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein made clear on Monday.
“The goal of this federal government is clear: We will seek trust with all our strength,” Austria’s first female government chief said.
Her gender-balanced interim government of senior public officials was sworn on Monday by President Alexander Van der Bellen, who tasked the cabinet with managing national affairs until early elections that are expected in September.
The expert cabinet was formed after the coalition led by conservative party chief Sebastian Kurz collapsed last month over a video sting that raised corruption allegations against Kurz’s far-right coalition partners.
German media had published secret footage of far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache that was recorded on Ibiza in 2017. It shows Strache talking about potential party donations, infrastructure deals and tabloid campaigns with a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch.
Last month, Strache stepped down as vice chancellor over the video scandal that caused a deep political crisis. Kurz ended the coalition and called early elections.
The caretaker government should not only strive for the trust of voters, but also from parliament, civil servants, civil society and religious communities, Bierlein said.— dpa
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