Vienna: Austria's three-party coalition government took office on Monday, ending five months of political deadlock. The new coalition, formed by the center-right Austrian People's Party (OVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPO), and the liberal NEOS, was announced last week. OVP leader Christian Stocker was sworn in as chancellor alongside the country's new government ministers and state secretaries at the presidential palace in Vienna.

According to Anadolu Agency, President Alexander Van der Bellen expressed gratitude to the parties for their negotiations during the ceremony. He emphasized that the nation expects action, not just words, from the new government. The new Cabinet includes nine members each from the center-right OVP and the SPO, with NEOS contributing three members.

The coalition deal follows the far-right Freedom Party's victory in last September's election, where it secured the most votes but failed to achieve a majority. Despite winning 29% of the vote, the Freedom Party's attempt to form a government with the OVP was unsuccessful as talks collapsed.