Political Leaders: Austria

Leaders of Austria
(Republic of Austria)

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website. See also the detailed page on Austrian Governments since 1945 to know more about the ruling parties. A set of lists providing the premiers of the States is available at Rulers.

Parties: BZÖ: Alliance for the future of Austria FPÖ: Freedom Party of Austria LIF: Liberal Forum ÖVP: Austrian People's Party SPÖ: Social Democratic Party of Austria

Federal Presidents

Karl Renner            27 Apr 1945 - 31 Dec 1950 (+)      SPÖ (*)      
Leopold Figl           31 Dec 1950 - 21 Jun 1951 (+1965)  ÖVP (acting) 
Theodor Körner         21 Jun 1951 -  4 Jan 1957 (+)      SPÖ 
Julius Raab             4 Jan 1957 - 22 May 1957 (+1964)  ÖVP (acting) 
Adolf Schärf           22 May 1957 - 28 Feb 1965 (+)      SPÖ 
Josef Klaus            28 Feb 1965 -  9 Jun 1965 (+2001)  ÖVP (acting) 
Franz Joseph Jonas      9 Jun 1965 - 23 Apr 1974 (+)      SPÖ 
Bruno Kreisky          23 Apr 1974 -  8 Jul 1974 (+1990)  SPÖ (acting)
Rudolf Kirchschläger    8 Jul 1974 -  8 Jul 1986 (+2000)  SPÖ 
Kurt Josef Waldheim     8 Jul 1986 -  8 Jul 1992 (+2007)  ÖVP 
Thomas Klestil          8 Jul 1992 -  6 Jul 2004 (+)      ÖVP 
Andreas Khol            6 Jul 2004 -  8 Jul 2004          ÖVP (acting)
Heinz Fischer           8 Jul 2004 -                      SPÖ

(*) Head of the Provisional Government to 20 Dec 1945. 27 Apr 1945 was the date of the Proclamation of the Republic of Austria; formal installation took place 29 Apr 1945; full Constitutional restoration 13 May 1945, retroactive to 1 May 1945.

Federal Chancellors

Karl Renner            29 Apr 1945 - 20 Dec 1945 (+1950)  SPÖ
Leopold Figl           20 Dec 1945 -  2 Apr 1953 (+1965)  ÖVP 
Julius Raab             2 Apr 1953 - 11 Apr 1961 (+1964)  ÖVP 
Alfons Gorbach         11 Apr 1961 -  2 Apr 1964 (+1972)  ÖVP 
Josef Klaus             2 Apr 1964 - 21 Apr 1970 (+2001)  ÖVP 
Bruno Kreisky          21 Apr 1970 - 24 May 1983 (+1990)  SPÖ
Fred Sinowatz          24 May 1983 - 16 Jun 1986 (+2008)  SPÖ
Franz Vranitzky        16 Jun 1986 - 28 Jan 1997          SPÖ
Viktor Klima           28 Jan 1997 -  4 Feb 2000          SPÖ
Wolfgang Schüssel       4 Feb 2000 - 11 Jan 2007          ÖVP 
Alfred Gusenbauer      11 Jan 2007 -  2 Dec 2008          SPÖ
Werner Faymann          2 Dec 2008 -                      SPÖ

Federal Vice Chancellors

Adolf Schärf           20 Dec 1945 - 22 May 1957 (+1965)  SPÖ
Bruno Pittermann       22 May 1957 - 19 Apr 1966 (+1983)  SPÖ 
Fritz Bock             19 Apr 1966 - 19 Jan 1968 (+1993)  ÖVP 
Hermann Withalm        19 Jan 1968 - 21 Apr 1970 (+2003)  ÖVP
Rudolf Häuser          21 Apr 1970 - 30 Sep 1976 (+2000)  SPÖ
Hannes Androsch         1 Oct 1976 - 20 Jan 1981          SPÖ 
Fred Sinowatz          20 Jan 1981 - 24 May 1983 (+2008)  SPÖ 
Norbert Steger         24 May 1983 - 21 Jan 1987          FPÖ 
Alois Mock             21 Jan 1987 - 24 Apr 1989          ÖVP 
Josef Riegler          24 Apr 1989 -  2 Jul 1991          ÖVP 
Erhard Busek            2 Jul 1991 -  4 May 1995          ÖVP 
Wolfgang Schüssel       4 May 1995 -  4 Feb 2000          ÖVP 
Susanne Riess-Passer    4 Feb 2000 - 28 Feb 2003          FPÖ 
Herbert Haupt          28 Feb 2003 - 21 Oct 2003          FPÖ 
Hubert Gorbach         21 Oct 2003 - 11 Jan 2007          FPÖ, BZÖ 
Wilhelm Molterer       11 Jan 2007 -  2 Dec 2008          ÖVP
Josef Pröll             2 Dec 2008 - 21 Apr 2011          ÖVP
Michael Spindelegger   21 Apr 2001 -                      ÖVP

(List courtesy of Ben Schemmel).

Presidents of the Nationalrat

Leopold Kunschak       19 Dec 1945 - 13 Mar 1953 (+1953)  ÖVP 
Felix Hurdes           18 Mar 1953 -  9 Jun 1959 (+1974)  ÖVP
Leopold Figl            9 Jun 1959 -  5 Feb 1962 (+1965)  ÖVP 
Alfred Maleta          14 Feb 1962 - 31 Mar 1970 (+1990)  ÖVP
Karl Waldbrunner       31 Mar 1970 -  4 Nov 1971 (+1980)  SPÖ
Anton Benya             4 Nov 1971 - 17 Dec 1986 (+2001)  SPÖ
Leopold Gratz          17 Dec 1986 - 23 Feb 1989 (+2006)  SPÖ 
Rudolf Pöder           28 Feb 1989 -  5 Nov 1990          SPÖ
Heinz Fischer           5 Nov 1990 - 20 Dec 2002          SPÖ
Andreas Khol           20 Dec 2002 - 30 Oct 2006          ÖVP  
Barbara Prammer        30 Oct 2006 -                      SPÖ

Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Karl Gruber            1945-1953 (+1995)  ÖVP
Leopold Figl           1953-1959 (+1965)  ÖVP 
Bruno Kreisky          1959-1966 (+1990)  SPÖ 
Lujo Toncic-Sorinj     1966-1968 (+2005)  ÖVP 
Kurt Waldheim          1968-1970 (+2007)  ÖVP
Rudolf Kirchschläger   1970-1974 (+2000)  SPÖ 
Erich Bielka-Karltreu  1974-1976 (+1992)  SPÖ
Willibald Pahr         1976-1983          SPÖ 
Erwin Lanc             1983-1984          SPÖ 
Leopold Gratz          1984-1986 (+2006)  SPÖ 
Peter Jankowitsch      1986-1987          SPÖ 
Alois Mock             1987-1995          ÖVP 
Wolfgang Schüssel      1995-2000          ÖVP 
Benita Ferrero-Waldner 2000-2004          ÖVP 
Ursula Plassnik        2004-2008          ÖVP   
Michael Spindelegger   2008-              ÖVP

(List courtesy of Ben Schemmel).

Chairmen of SPÖ

Adolf Schärf           1945-1957 (+1965) 
Bruno Pittermann       1957-1967 (+1983) 
Bruno Kreisky          1967-1983 (+1990) 
Alfred (Fred) Sinowatz 1983-1988 (+2008)        
Franz Vranitzky        1988-1997         
Viktor Klima           1997-2000         
Alfred Gusenbauer      2000-2008
Werner Faymann         2008-

Founded on 14 Apr 1945 as Socialist Party of Austria (SPÖ); renamed to Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) on 15 Jun 1991.

Chairmen of ÖVP

Leopold Kunschak       1945      (+1953)        
Leopold Figl           1945-1952 (+1965) 
Julius Raab            1952-1960 (+1964) 
Alfons Gorbach         1960-1963 (+1972) 
Josef Klaus            1963-1970 (+2001) 
Hermann Withalm        1970-1971 (+2003) 
Karl Schleinzer        1971-1975 (+)
Josef Taus             1975-1979         
Alois Mock             1979-1989        
Josef Riegler          1989-1991         
Erhard Busek           1991-1995         
Wolfgang Schüssel      1995-2007        
Wilhelm Molterer       2007-2008 
Josef Pröll            2008-2011
Michael Spindelegger   2011-

Founded on 17 Apr 1945.

Chairmen of FPÖ

Anton Reinthaller       1956-1958 (+)
Friedrich Peter         1958-1978 (+2005)
Alexander Götz          1978-1979
Norbert Steger          1980-1986         
Jörg Haider             1986-2000 (+2008)k      
Susanne Riess-Passer    2000-2002         
Herbert Scheibner       2002              (acting)
Mathias Reichhold       2002              
Herbert Haupt           2002-2004         
Ursula Haubner          2004-2005         
Hilmar Kabas            2005              (interim)
Heinz-Christian Strache 2005-

Founded on 7 Apr 1956. (List courtesy of Esther Lajta).

Chairmen of BZÖ

Jörg Haider            2005-2006 (+2008)k
Peter Westenthaler     2006-2008 
Jörg Haider            2008-2008 (+)k 
Stefan Petzner         2008              (interim) 
Herbert Scheibner      2008-2009         (interim)
Josef Bucher           2009-

Founded by splinters of FPÖ (J. Haider and supporters) on 4 Apr 2005.

Chairmen of LIF

Heide Schmidt              1993-2000     
Christian Köck             2000
Friedhelm Frischenschlager 2000-2001 (interim)
Alexander Zach             2001-2008
Heide Schmidt              2008      (interim) 
Werner Becher              2008-2009    
Angelika Mlinar            2009-

Founded by splinters of FPÖ on 4 Feb 1993.

Leaders of The Greens/Die Grünen

Co-general secretaries
Werner Haslauer + 
Manfred Stadlmann        1987-1988 (*)
Johannes Voggenhuber + 
Pius Strobl              1988-1990
Franz Floss + 
Franz Renkin             1990-1992

Speakers of the federal party
Peter Pilz               1992-1994
Madeleine Petrovic       1994-1996         
Christoph Chorherr       1996-1997
Alex Van der Bellen      1997-2008
Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek 2008-     (acting to 2009)

Founded on 15 Feb 1987 as the Green Alternative; renamed The Greens-Green Alternative on 23 Jun 1993. (*) Stadlmann resigned in 1987 before completing its tenure. (List courtesy of Jennyfer Kickert)

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