Austria to elect Christian Kern as new chancellor

Christian Kern is best known in Austria for turning around the fortunes of the country’s state-run railways. From Friday his task is to rescue an ailing government as the ruling Social Democrats elect the wiry manager their new leader – and the country’s new chancellor.

After Monday’s abrupt resignation of chancellor Werner Faymann, Mr Kern will be be anxious to move beyond Friday’s formalities and get straight to work.

First, the new Social Democrats leader will have to win over his grand coalition partner, the conservative People’s Party, to back him as chancellor, thus avoiding early elections neither party can afford.

The People’s Party’s precondition for accepting Mr Kern as chancellor is continuity in the tough asylum line adopted by Austria in the last months.

While Mr Kern is likely to maintain the status quo, including border checks, he is likely to push a more conciliatory tone.

His second task is to reshuffle the cabinet, presenting new faces and policies that will appeal to jaded voters tired of Vienna’s grand coalition.

Looming run-off

Third, the new Austrian leader has to prepare for the worst ahead of the looming presidential election run-off.

In last month’s first round, the Social Democrats candidate finished fourth while Norbert Hofer, candidate of the populist Freedom Party, came out on top with almost 37 per cent support.

A repeat of that performance on May 22nd, giving the Freedom Party control of the Hofburg palace, would send shockwaves through the Austrian – and European – political landscape.

Though technically an outsider, Mr Kern (50) was, two decades ago, a political hopeful inside the Social Democrats. These days he is better known as a prototype manager who favours tailored suits, thin ties and tight haircuts.

Shrewd business sense

In five years as head of ÖBB railways, Mr Kern nudged the semi-state back into the black and, observers say, showed a shrewd business sense while keeping unions onside.

The new chancellor will need these talents and more if he is to revive the Austrian economy and give a shot in the arm to the flagging Vienna coalition in the face of the energetic Freedom Party.

With its asylum- and EU- critical policies, the Freedom Party has overtaken the two ruling parties to become Austria’s most popular political grouping.

The right-wing populist party hopes a Hofer win will trigger a change of government to a Freedom Party-lead administration.

On his farewell visit in Berlin on Thursday, president Heinz Fischer gave his blessing to the new chancellor-in-waiting.Mr Kern was an “able” man who had carried out well his last duties.