Alexander Schallenberg

Alexander Georg Nicolas Schallenberg (Austrian German: [alɛˈksandɐ ˈɡeːɔrɡ ˈnɪkolas ˈʃalənbɛrɡ]; born 20 June 1969) is an Austrian diplomat, jurist, and politician who served as the minister of foreign affairs from 2019 until 2025, briefly interrupted by a period from October until December 2021, when he served as 27th chancellor of Austria, a role he served in an acting capacity again from January to March 2025. A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), he held the position in the Bierlein government and Second Kurz government, before briefly serving as chancellor as Kurz's successor from 11 October to 6 December 2021 (Schallenberg government). On 10 January 2025, Schallenberg was appointed acting chancellor by President Alexander Van der Bellen, following the resignation of Karl Nehammer, who himself had served in an Caretaking capacity since October 2024 following the legislative elections the previous month. A member of the Schallenberg family and a graduate of the College of Europe, Schallenberg was a career diplomat who became a mentor to Kurz when the latter became foreign minister. Kurz appointed him director of strategic foreign policy planning and head of the European department. Schallenberg joined the cabinet as foreign minister in 2019. After Kurz announced his pending resignation on 9 October 2021, Schallenberg was proposed by the ÖVP to replace him as Chancellor of Austria. He was sworn in on 11 October 2021. Schallenberg announced his pending resignation on 2 December 2021, after less than two months in office. His resignation took effect on 6 December; he returned to the position of foreign minister.