There is no peace in Austria. After the victory of the far right in the first round of last month's presidential elections and the announcement of plans to build a wall over the Brenner Pass on the border with Italy, Austrian Social Democrat Chancellor Werner Faymann, in office for seven years and half, he decided to resign. The Government will therefore pass ad interim into the hands of Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner.
The now former Austrian chancellor has not been able to withstand the pressure from the left of the Social Democrat party which for weeks has been accusing him of the position taken by Vienna on the migrant front, which resulted in the announcement of the construction of the wall.
In an unexpectedly convened press conference, Faymann said Austria needs a chancellor “who has the full support of his party. The country needs a new beginning."
The chancellor's farewell comes less than two weeks after the May 22 ballot in the presidential elections, which left out the country's traditional parties. The challengers will be Norbert Hofer, leader of the Fpoe anti-immigrant right-wing party, and the candidate of the Greens Alexander Van der Bellen.
