Reinhold Mitterlehner
Reinhold Mitterlehner | |
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| Vice Chancellor of Austria | |
| Assumed office 1 September 2014 | |
| Chancellor | Werner Faymann |
| Preceded by | Michael Spindelegger |
| Minister of Science, Research and Economy (formerly Minister of Economy, Family and Youth) | |
| Assumed office 2 December 2008 | |
| Chancellor | Werner Faymann |
| Preceded by | Martin Bartenstein (Economy and Labour) Andrea Kdolsky (Health, Family and Youth) |
| Succeeded by | Sophie Karmasin (Family and Youth) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 December 1955 Helfenberg, Austria |
| Political party | Austrian People's Party |
| Alma mater | Johannes Kepler University |
Reinhold Mitterlehner (born 10 December 1955) is an Austrian politician who has served in the cabinet of Austria as Federal Minister of Economy from 2008 to date. In September 2014 he also became Vice Chancellor of Austria and Chairman of the Austrian People's Party.
Early life and education
Mitterlehner was born in Helfenberg, Upper Austria, on 10 December 1955.[1][2] He holds a doctorate in law, which he received from Johannes Kepler University in Linz in 1980.[2] He then attended a post-graduate course in association management in Fribourg.[3]
Career
From 1980 to 1992 Mitterlehner worked at the Upper Austrian economic chamber, where he assumed various posts, including the head of the marketing department.[4] From 1992 to 2000 he served as the secretary general of the Austrian Economic League (ÖWB) in Vienna.[4] In addition, he was a local politician in Ahorn from 1991 to 1997.[1] He was appointed party chairman for Rohrbach District in May 2002.[3]
Member of the Austrian Parliament, 2000–present
A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP),[1] Mitterlehner was elected to the Austrian Parliament on 8 February 2000,[4] where he served on the Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (2000-2008); the Committee on Economic Affairs (2000-2008); and the Finance Committee (2003-2008), among others.
Meanwhile, also in 2000, Mitterlehner was named deputy secretary general of the Austrian federal economic chamber (WKO), holding that post until 2008.[3]
Federal Minister of Economy, 2008–present
Following the 2008 national elections, on 2 December 2008, Mitterlehner was appointed as Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth as part of the coalition government led by Chancellor Werner Faymann.[5][6] In 2008, he was also named vice president of the Austrian Energy Agency.[2]
Mitterlehner was one of the leading candidates to succeed Josef Pröll, who left the leadership of the party in April 2011.[7] Instead, from 2011 to 2014 he was deputy federal chairman of the People's Party and only became the successor of Michael Spindelegger as party chairman in September 2014 from whom he also took the position of Vice Chancellor of Austria.[2] At the time, Mitterlehner said he would prefer not to serve as finance minister as well, a dual role that Spindelegger had performed.[8]
After the ÖVP lost votes in provincial elections to the far-right, anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ) in 2015, Mitterlehner publicly threatened to quit the coalition government if Faymann’s Social Democrat partners did not toughen their policies on migrants and shrink the welfare state.[9]
Other activities
- National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Trustees
- Industriewissenschaftliches Institut (IWI), Member of the Board of Trustees
- International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE), Member of the Board of Trustees
Personal life
Mitterlehner is married and has three daughters.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Austria's New Cabinet: Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner". Wikileaks. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Mr. Reinhold Mitterlehrar, Dr. iur". Austrian Politics Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ a b c "Keynote speakers". Power-Gen Europe. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Minister". Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ Kurt Richard Luther (2009). "The Revival of the Radical Right: The Austrian Parliamentary Election of 2008" (PDF). Keele European Parties Research Unit. Working papers (29). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ "Austrian ministries". Rulers. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ Chris Bryant (13 April 2011). "Austria's finance minister quits politics". Financial Times. Vienna. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ Michael Shields (August 31, 2014), Austrian conservatives pick Schelling as finance minister Reuters.
- ^ Shadia Nasralla (September 30, 2015), Austrian vice chancellor threatens to quit coalition government Reuters.
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