Brigitte Bierlein becomes Austria's first female chancellor

Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen has named Brigitte Bierlein the country's first female chancellor.

Brigitte Bierlein becomes Austria's first female chancellor

Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen has named Brigitte Bierlein the country's first female chancellor.

Ms Bierlein takes over as interim chancellor from Sebastian Kurz, whose government lost a confidence vote in parliament over a video scandal involving Mr Kurz's far-right ally, Heinz-Christian Strache secretly being filmed offering public contracts to a woman posing as a a Russian oligarch's niece, according to the BBC.

An election is expected in September.

Ms Bierlein was the advocate general of the Procurator's Office from 1990 to 2002 and a member of the excutive board of the International Association of Prosecutors from 2001 to 2003.

Since January of last year, she has been serving as president of the Austrian Constitutional Court.

Mr Van der Bellen said: "Although the parties represented in Parliament are currently finding it difficult to trust each other,I hope and expect them to have the necessary confidence in the transitional government for the next few months so that it can work for the benefit of Austria."

He added: "On behalf of the Republic, I would like to thank her very much for her willingness to accept this task."

Ms Bierlein said to the president: "I will do everything within my power to earn the trust that you have put in me."

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