- Title: New Austrian chancellor says will 'of course' work closely with Kurz
- Date: 11th October 2021
- Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (OCTOBER 11, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HORSE CARTS DRIVING PAST CHANCELLERY
- Embargoed: 25th October 2021 13:49
- Keywords: Alexander Schallenberg Austria Sebastian Kurz Vienna chancellor government
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- City: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003EYPS6DJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS WHITE FLASH
Austria's newly installed chancellor, who faces accusations from the opposition that he will be a puppet of his predecessor Sebastian Kurz, who has quit in the face of corruption allegations, pledged on Monday to work "very closely" with him.
"I will of course work very closely... with Sebastian Kurz," Alexander Schallenberg said in a statement to the media. "I believe the accusations that have been made (against Kurz) are false and I am convinced that at the end of the day it will turn out that there was nothing to them."
Schallenberg was sworn in as chancellor on Monday after Sebastian Kurz resigned in the face of corruption allegations, while the opposition said the new leader would merely continue to do Kurz's bidding. The Greens, the junior partner to Kurz's conservatives, had demanded Kurz's head after he and nine others including senior aides were placed under investigation last week on suspicion of varying degrees of breach of trust, corruption and bribery.
Kurz, who denies wrongdoing, will remain head of his party and become its top lawmaker in parliament.
He has been his party's undisputed leader until now and Schallenberg is a career diplomat and close ally who is a relative newcomer to politics.
Critics say he is unlikely to be his own man.
He has declined to comment until after he is sworn in.
(Production: Lisi Niesner, Stephan Schepers) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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