Austria swears in provisional govt in wake of video sting scandal

Austria’s new provisional government, which will act as a caretaker until an election expected in September, was sworn in on Monday.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen announced Constitutional Court President Brigitte Bierlein as his choice for chancellor last week. The move came after parliament ousted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s government.

Van der Bellen has said the government will primarily keep the administrative wheels of government turning rather than take far-reaching decisions. Bierlein says her aim is to bring some calm to Austrian politics after weeks of tumult, Reuters reports.

“Half of Europe, half the world, is watching us after the events of recent weeks,” Van der Bellen said at the swearing-in ceremony. The president was referring to the sting that forced right-wing leader Heinz-Christian Strache to step down as vice chancellor and sparked the political crisis.