Peter Pilz
Encyclopedia
Peter Pilz is an Austria
n politician
and a leading member of the Austrian Green Party
.
Born in Kapfenberg
, Styria
, Pilz has been a member of the Austrian Parliament (Nationalrat) between 1986 and 1991 and since 1999. From 1992 to 1994 he also was federal spokesperson of the Greens.
He is mainly concerned with legal matters and investigating political corruption
. Commonly known wearing a black jacket and a red, grey or green t-shirt, he was the first Austrian politician to keep a blog on the Internet.
In January 2005, Pilz made international news when he called for Arnold Schwarzenegger
to be stripped of his Austrian citizenship
. As Governor of California
, Schwarzenegger had refused to intercede in the execution of a convicted murderer, Donald Beardslee
. Pilz pointed to an Austrian law which prohibits any Austrian from taking part in, or ordering, an execution.
A few months later, Pilz claimed that a person whom he called "Zeuge D" (German
: "witness D") has information that Iran
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had participated in the murder of 3 Kurd
s in Vienna in 1989. According to him the Austrian police had already contacted the witness, who supposedly lived in France
, but this was denied by the Austrian Ministry of Justice.
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 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and a leading member of the Austrian Green Party
Austrian Green Party
The Greens – The Green Alternative is a political party in the Austrian parliament.The party was formed in 1986 with the name Grüne Alternative, following the merger of the more conservative Green party Vereinte Grüne Österreichs and the more progressive party Alternative Liste Österreichs The...
.
Born in Kapfenberg
Kapfenberg
Kapfenberg is a city in Styria, Austria, near Bruck an der Mur. The town's landmark is Burg Oberkapfenberg. Main employer in the city of Kapfenberg was and still is the steel manufacturer Böhler....
, Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, Pilz has been a member of the Austrian Parliament (Nationalrat) between 1986 and 1991 and since 1999. From 1992 to 1994 he also was federal spokesperson of the Greens.
He is mainly concerned with legal matters and investigating political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. Commonly known wearing a black jacket and a red, grey or green t-shirt, he was the first Austrian politician to keep a blog on the Internet.
In January 2005, Pilz made international news when he called for Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
to be stripped of his Austrian citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
. As Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
, Schwarzenegger had refused to intercede in the execution of a convicted murderer, Donald Beardslee
Donald Beardslee
Donald Jay Beardslee was an American murderer executed by means of a lethal injection in San Quentin State Prison, California.-Early life :...
. Pilz pointed to an Austrian law which prohibits any Austrian from taking part in, or ordering, an execution.
A few months later, Pilz claimed that a person whom he called "Zeuge D" (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: "witness D") has information that Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had participated in the murder of 3 Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
s in Vienna in 1989. According to him the Austrian police had already contacted the witness, who supposedly lived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but this was denied by the Austrian Ministry of Justice.
External links
| Spokespersons of the Austrian Green Party Austrian Green Party The Greens – The Green Alternative is a political party in the Austrian parliament.The party was formed in 1986 with the name Grüne Alternative, following the merger of the more conservative Green party Vereinte Grüne Österreichs and the more progressive party Alternative Liste Österreichs The... Johannes Voggenhuber Johannes Voggenhuber Johannes Voggenhuber is an Austrian politician and former Member of the European Parliament for the Austrian Green Party, which is part of the European Greens. He is vice president of the parliament's Constitutional Affairs Commission.From 1982 to 1987, he was member of the city council in... - Peter Pilz - Madeleine Petrovic Madeleine Petrovic Madeleine Petrovic is an Austrian politician. From 1994 to 1996 she was federal spokesperson of the Austrian Green Party.... - Christoph Chorherr Christoph Chorherr Christoph Chorherr is an Austrian politician. From 1996 until December 1997 he was federal spokesperson of the Austrian Green Party.... - Alexander Van der Bellen Alexander Van der Bellen Alexander Van der Bellen is an Austrian economist and politician, chairman of the parliamentary club and federal spokesperson of the Austrian Green Party from 1997 to 2008.... |