VIENNA, May 15 (Sputnik) — Kern proposed Kurz to hold the position of a vice-chancellor in a telephone conversation in order to "ensure the smooth operation of current projects," the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported.
The position of Austrian vice-chancellor has officially been vacant since Monday following the Reinhold Mitterlehner's resignation from all his posts on Wednesday, namely the positions of Austrian vice-chancellor, economy minister and OVP chairman.
Austria's coalition government is formed by the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and the OVP. After Mitterlehner's resignation, Kern proposed to the OVP and Kurz to continue their work within the coalition government.
Parliamentary snap elections in Austria, which were initially scheduled for 2018, may preliminary take place in autumn 2017, with the date still the subject of negotiations between coalition partners, according to Kern.
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