Finance Minister Magnus Brunner is set to become Austria’s next EU Commissioner, as announced by the government on Wednesday following weeks of negotiations.

“Magnus Brunner understands the challenges at the European level and will ensure that both Austrian interests and European values are equally represented in the Commission,” said Chancellor Karl Nehammer, leader of a coalition government comprising his People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Green Party.

Brunner, a member of the ÖVP, is “recognised in Europe and well-connected beyond Austria’s borders,” Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) added in a joint statement.

The 52-year-old native of Vorarlberg had long been considered the frontrunner for the position. He is widely acknowledged to possess the necessary qualifications for the role of EU Commissioner. A fluent business advocate, Brunner studied at King’s College London and has been at the helm of Austria’s Finance Ministry since December 2021.

EU Commissioners are part of the EU Commission, the executive branch of the EU, which has the authority to propose new laws and oversee their implementation.

The nomination had been the subject of a protracted internal coalition dispute. At one point, the Greens supported a proposal by NEOS to nominate former ÖVP member of parliament and European Parliament Vice-President Othmar Karas, whose candidacy was subsequently rejected by the ÖVP itself.

Karoline Edtstadler, Minister for the EU and Constitution (ÖVP), had also expressed interest in the role.