Austrian chancellor to remain in government coalition despite his minister’s controversial EU vote

BERLIN (AP) — Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has said that his conservative Austrian People’s Party would remain in the current government coalition with its Green party junior partner even though his environment minister voted in a European Union vote in favor of the so-called Nature Restoration plan that Nehammer has opposed. The vote by environment minister Leonore Gewessler of the Green party on Monday came after months of domestic political debate and had infuriated the senior partner in the coalition government — Chancellor Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party — ahead of a national election set for Sept. 29. But Nehammer said Monday night that he has “the responsibility to ensure an orderly path” until national elections on Sept. 29.