Von Ewald König

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While there is a rumor mill brewing in Germany as to who could become the new foreign minister, the neighboring country to the south is presenting its future chief diplomat: Austria has had a new government since Monday and therefore also a new foreign minister. Her name is Beate Meinl-Reisinger and is head of NEOS, a young liberal and Europe-oriented party that, together with the ÖVP and SPÖ, is now forming the new coalition.

The lawyer replaces the former Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP), who recently also held the function of Federal Chancellor in the interim government.

She was disappointed by the ÖVP, which she had initially worked for. In 2014, Meinl-Reisinger became a co-founder of Neos. In 2018, she became the party leader. In the last National Council elections last October, Neos won around nine per cent of the vote under her leadership. Meinl-Reisinger is 46 years old and the mother of three daughters. She has enormous support within the party. She was recently confirmed as leader with 91 per cent of the vote.

Federal President Alexander van der Bellen swore in the new government on Monday, led by Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP). The 64-year-old lawyer's first foreign appointment is the special EU summit in Brussels next Thursday. He will make his first government statement in parliament on Friday.

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