Michael Spindelegger
Encyclopedia
Michael Spindelegger is an Austria
n lawyer
and politician
. He is the current Vice Chancellor
and Foreign Minister of Austria
in the cabinet of Werner Faymann
. Since 2011, Spindelegger is the current leader of the Austrian People's Party
(ÖVP).
, Lower Austria
. He went to school in Hinterbrühl
(1965–1969) and to the gymnasium
Keimgasse in Mödling (1969–1977). From 1977 to 1978 he served for one year in the Austrian Armed Forces, being trained as a reserve officer. From 1978 he studied law at the University of Vienna
, and received a doctorate in law in 1983.
Spindelegger is married, and has two sons. He is member of the Austrian Catholic
student fraternity Cartellverband.
.
From 1983 to 1984, he worked as a judge's assistant at several Courts of Law in Vienna, and from 1984 to 1987 as a civil servant for the Federal State of Lower Austria
.
From 1987 to 1990, he worked for Austrian Defense Minister Robert Lichal, and between 1990 and 1994 for a number of companies in Austria and Germany, including Siemens
.
.
From January 1995 to October 1996, Spindelegger was Member of the European Parliament
.
From December 1993 to March 1995, and since October 1996, he is member of the National Council of Austria
(Nationalrat). Between October 1996 and October 2006, he was his party's Speaker on Foreign Affairs, and head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.
From 1991 Spindelegger was the deputy federal chairperson of the ÖAAB and since 2009 has been federal chair. From January 2000 to January 2007, he was Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
, and from January 2002 to October 2006 head of the Austrian delegation.
From March 2000 to October 2006, he was vice-chairman of the Austrian People's Party.
On October 30, 2006 he became Second Speaker of the Austrian Parliament. He held this office until November 2008.
On 2 December 2008 he became Foreign Minister of Austria
, in April 2011 he additionally took over the post of Vice Chancellor from Josef Pröll
. He is expected to be elected ÖVP Party Chairman
in May 2011.
in Silver with Star" (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen mit dem Stern für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich).
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Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is the current Vice Chancellor
Vice Chancellor of Austria
In Austrian politics, the Vice-Chancellor is a member of the federal government acting as a deputy to the Federal Chancellor.Art. 69 of the Constitution of Austria states:...
and Foreign Minister of Austria
Foreign Minister of Austria
The Foreign Minister of Austria is responsible for handling Austria's foreign policy.-Under the First Austrian Republic:* Victor Adler* Otto Bauer* Karl Renner* Michael Mayr* Johann Schober* Walter Breisky* Leopold Hennet* Alfred Grünberger...
in the cabinet of Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann
Werner Faymann is Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ .-Background and earlier career:Born in Vienna, Austria, he studied law at the University of Vienna for two years but did not graduate....
. Since 2011, Spindelegger is the current leader of the Austrian People's Party
Austrian People's Party
The Austrian People's Party is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is similar to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany in terms of ideology...
(ÖVP).
Early and personal life
Spindelegger was born in MödlingMödling
Mödling is the capital of the Austrian district of the same name located approximately 14 km south of Vienna.The settlement dates back to the Neolithic. In medieval times, the town was the residence of a branch of the Babenberger family, as a result of which it received the nickname...
, Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. He went to school in Hinterbrühl
Hinterbrühl
Hinterbrühl is a town in the district of Mödling in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is home to the Seegrotte, a system of caves including Europe's largest underground lake. During World War II, a satellite camp of Mauthausen concentration camp was opened inside the caverns, producing parts...
(1965–1969) and to the gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
Keimgasse in Mödling (1969–1977). From 1977 to 1978 he served for one year in the Austrian Armed Forces, being trained as a reserve officer. From 1978 he studied law at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, and received a doctorate in law in 1983.
Spindelegger is married, and has two sons. He is member of the Austrian Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
student fraternity Cartellverband.
Professional career
From 1982 to 1983, Spindelegger was Assistant Lecturer and Researcher at the Institute of Criminal Law, University of ViennaUniversity of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
.
From 1983 to 1984, he worked as a judge's assistant at several Courts of Law in Vienna, and from 1984 to 1987 as a civil servant for the Federal State of Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
.
From 1987 to 1990, he worked for Austrian Defense Minister Robert Lichal, and between 1990 and 1994 for a number of companies in Austria and Germany, including Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
.
Political career
From 1992 to 1993, Spindelegger was Member of the Federal Council of AustriaFederal Council of Austria
The Federal Council of Austria or Bundesrat is the second chamber of the Austrian parliament, representing the nine States of Austria on federal level. As part of a bicameral legislature alongside of the National Council of Austria , it can be compared with an upper house or a senate...
.
From January 1995 to October 1996, Spindelegger was Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
.
From December 1993 to March 1995, and since October 1996, he is member of the National Council of Austria
National Council of Austria
The National Council is one of the two houses of the Austrian parliament. According to the constitution, the National Council and the complementary Federal Council are peers...
(Nationalrat). Between October 1996 and October 2006, he was his party's Speaker on Foreign Affairs, and head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.
From 1991 Spindelegger was the deputy federal chairperson of the ÖAAB and since 2009 has been federal chair. From January 2000 to January 2007, he was Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
, and from January 2002 to October 2006 head of the Austrian delegation.
From March 2000 to October 2006, he was vice-chairman of the Austrian People's Party.
On October 30, 2006 he became Second Speaker of the Austrian Parliament. He held this office until November 2008.
On 2 December 2008 he became Foreign Minister of Austria
Foreign Minister of Austria
The Foreign Minister of Austria is responsible for handling Austria's foreign policy.-Under the First Austrian Republic:* Victor Adler* Otto Bauer* Karl Renner* Michael Mayr* Johann Schober* Walter Breisky* Leopold Hennet* Alfred Grünberger...
, in April 2011 he additionally took over the post of Vice Chancellor from Josef Pröll
Josef Pröll
Josef Pröll is a former Austrian politician and was the chairman of the Austrian People's Party from 2008 until 2011. He served as Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance....
. He is expected to be elected ÖVP Party Chairman
OVP
OVP is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:*The Office of the Vice President of the United States*The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines*OVP , a light sub-machine gun developed in Italy...
in May 2011.
Awards
In May 2004, Spindelegger received the "Grand Decoration for Services to the Republic of AustriaDecoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria...
in Silver with Star" (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen mit dem Stern für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich).
External links
Michael Spindelegger at the ÖVP website|-
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