VIENNA: Immigration hardliner Karl Nehammer will be sworn in as Austrian chancellor on Monday, the presidency said, after being thrust into leadership by tumult among his conservative People’s Party following the resignation of fallen star Sebastian Kurz.

Nehammer 49, succeeded Kurz as party chief on Friday and will lead the coalition government with the Greens.

He takes over a party in disarray since Kurz stepped down as chancellor in October because he had been placed under criminal investigation on suspicion of corruption offences. Kurz denies wrongdoing.

President Alexander Van der Bellen will swear in Nehammer, who is now interior minister, at Monday’s ceremony, the presidency said in a statement on Saturday.

Nehammer, a former soldier and communications adviser, has said he plans to maintain the central law-and-order themes of Kurz’s two stints as chancellor since 2017.