The Council of the European Union appointed Gerald Loacker as a member of the European Court of Auditors on Monday, September 28, 2026. The 52-year-old lawyer from Vorarlberg succeeds Helga Berger for a six-year mandate running through September 30, 2032.
Loacker's path to the post included a July 2026 committee hearing and a narrow 16 to 13 vote by the Budgetary Control Committee. The European Parliament in Strasbourg later confirmed his appointment in early September with 331 votes in favor and 282 against.
A former Neos party politician, Loacker served in the Austrian National Council from 2013 to 2024. The nomination followed a coalition agreement granting Neos the right to the post after candidate Helmut Berger withdrew due to health-related concerns.