Johannes Hahn to Become New OeNB President

Hahn will take over the position from January 1, 2026, and he has been appointed for five years. According to the coalition agreement, the selection was up to the ÖVP. Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) expressed his pleasure about the choice before the government meeting, attesting to Hahn's ability to make decisions.

Meinl-Reisinger Emphasizes Transparency

Hahn has ultimately gathered decades of experience in the EU Commission and also had to make decisions as a minister. With the quick replacement, the government also shows that it is capable of acting, emphasized the Chancellor. The position had been vacant since the resignation of Harald Mahrer (ÖVP) at the end of November.

Foreign Minister and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger emphasized her good experiences with Hahn, who has always acted in the interest of Austria and the European idea. The nomination process was transparent, and the nomination right belonged to the ÖVP.

Reischl Took Over Temporarily

The withdrawal of Mahrer, who also had to step down as the head of the WKÖ and as the head of the ÖVP Economic Association due to the WKÖ affair, had already been announced weeks earlier. Until Hahn takes over, the General Council will be temporarily led by the Vice President of the General Council and former ÖGB Managing Director Ingrid Reischl. The General Council is the highest supervisory body of the OeNB, advising the directorate and proposing members to the government in the event of a new appointment in the directorate. The General Council is appointed by the federal government.

Former Novomatic Board Member Lands in the Central Bank

The now 68-year-old Hahn began his political career in the 1970s. Between 1980 and 1985, he served as the state chairman of the Young ÖVP Vienna, and in 1992, Hahn, nicknamed "Gio," rose to become the state manager of the party, remaining in this position until 1997. In that year, Hahn transitioned to the private sector and became a board member of the gambling company Novomatic, where he was appointed CEO in 2003.

In 2003, he then took on the role of non-executive city councilor for the ÖVP. With the swearing-in to this position, he bid farewell to Novomatic and continued his political career, from 2005 at the head of the Vienna ÖVP, later - from 2007 to 2010 - as Minister of Science. From 2014 to 2024, Hahn was Austria's EU Commissioner in Brussels, initially for the area of enlargement and neighborhood policy, then for budget and administration.

Since May, Hahn, who completed a philosophy degree, has been the EU Special Envoy for Cyprus. The politician is married to Wüstenrot CEO and former FPÖ Vice Chancellor Susanne Riess-Hahn, who herself was a member of the OeNB General Council from 2020 to March 2025.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.