Since the beginning of his chancellorship, Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has been notorious for his excessive handshakes on the political stage. When he met the new Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, he was apparently too overcome with euphoria.
The main reason for the joy was Tusk’s first appearance immediately after his swearing-in on Wednesday. The former President of the Council of the European Union managed to change the mood in Poland with his pro-European movement and thus replaced the national-conservative PiS government.
Nehammer in Popeye Fashion
The welcome of the heads of state and government in Brussels was therefore exuberant. Even the President of the Commission allowed himself to shake hands with a kiss on the cheek, followed immediately by the Austrian Chancellor, who was much more boisterous.
In true Popeye style, Nehammer grabbed the hand of the newly appointed head of government, then spontaneously decided on a so-called bro handshake, then roughly pulled Tusk against his chest and patted him on the back. Not only Tusk himself was visibly surprised by the euphoria – he initially reacted somewhat irritated – but also Von der Leyen, who raised her eyebrows in some surprise.
The Chancellor was clearly delighted
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) had already congratulated Tusk on Tuesday on his election by the Polish parliament. “With @donaldtusk, an experienced domestic and European politician will become the new Polish head of government. Austria has a strong partnership and friendship with Poland. I look forward to the collaboration. Congratulations and all the best!” wrote the ÖVP leader in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
The reactions are mixed
Since then, videos of the campaign have been circulating on social media, causing a stir not only in Poland. Here too, the reactions are mixed. “Why can’t Nehammer just be normal,” asked one user on X (formerly Twitter), “is that embarrassing,” said another.
But there are also positive comments: “You can criticize him endlessly, but in the end it does not seem staged, but rather an expression of legitimate joy,” one user defends the chancellor – “someone is not pretending, even if he is chancellor. ” says another.
But the question often arose as to whether Tusk survived the friendly attack physically unscathed. Nehammer finally spoke himself: “Everything is fine, Donald Tusk is fine,” he jokes with the Pole in a photo.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
