Austria's vice chancellor named as Kurz's replacement

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Europe

00:32

Vice Chancellor Hartwig Loeger (OVP) will lead the Austrian government on an interim basis until the election in September, announced President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday evening.

The president said that he would dismiss the federal government at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. However, he will entrust the government with the continuation of its duties, under the leadership of Loeger, who is being deployed as Chancellor for a few days, "a sort of provisional" – until the new transitional government stands.

The timetable will also allow Loeger to attend the informal Summit of European Heads of State and Government in Brussels on Tuesday evening.

Sebastian Kurz waves as he leaves a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria, May 27, 2019./Reuters Photo

Sebastian Kurz's dismissal follows a corruption scandal prompted by a secretly-recorded video. The current situation is a first in the Second Republic.

Kurz was combative in his first appearance after losing the no-confidence vote in parliament. Until the election in autumn "we will fight," said the outgoing chancellor before supporters in the OVP Party Academy, "I'm still here."

"Today, parliament has decided, but at the end of the day, in September, the people are deciding in a democracy," Kurz called to his supporters, who received him with defiant "Chancellor Kurz" chanting.

Kurz has promised President Van der Bellen a "proper handover to the transitional government."

(Cover: Austrian Vice-Chancellor Hartwig Loeger attends a session of the Parliament in Vienna, Austria, May 27, 2019. /Reuters Photo)

(With input from Xinhua)