Austria’s top diplomat Alexander Schallenberg was on Sunday expected to take over the chancellorship, a day after Sebastian Kurz announced he would step down amid graft claims, capping the spectacular rise of one of Europe’s youngest political leaders, writs France24.

The 35-year-old conservative announced late Saturday that he was stepping down as chancellor, bowing to pressure to resign after he was implicated in a corruption scandal.

Saying he wanted to “make space to prevent chaos”, - Kurz, who has headed two governments over the last four years, has suggested foreign minister Schallenberg to take over the chancellery.

The 52-year-old diplomat was to meet President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday following a meeting with Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler of the Greens.

Schallenberg has yet to speak publicly, but Kogler indicated late Saturday that his party would support him to keep the conservative-Greens coalition in government.