In Austria, the second health minister has resigned since the outbreak of the corona pandemic.
On Thursday in Vienna, Wolfgang Mückstein (Greens) announced his resignation from office. In 2021 he followed his party colleague Rudolf Anschober and switched from his Viennese medical practice to top politics.
The reason he gave was that he was no longer able to do 100 percent every day and referred to daily threats against himself and his family and the police protection that was necessary for this.
"You don't want that for long and you can't stand it for long," he added.
There had already been reports of a possible withdrawal by Mückstein on Thursday morning.
According to the APA news agency, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said at noon that if Mückstein resigned, there would be a “rapid handover”. According to media reports, Johannes Rauch, a green veteran from Vorarlberg, should follow the doctor and political career changer.
Mückstein's predecessor and party colleague Rudolf Anschober had given up last April due to overwork.
In the past few weeks, Mückstein has been confronted with increasingly negative media reports, which, among other things, addressed his wooden demeanor and his sometimes contradictory statements.
Green leader and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler announced that he would propose regional politician Johannes Rauch as the new Minister of Health.
Rauch is responsible for the environment and transport in the state government of Vorarlberg.