Susanne Riess-Passer
Encyclopedia
Susanne Riess-Passer is a former Austria
n politician of the Freedom Party of Austria
(FPÖ).
In the first government headed by Chancellor
Wolfgang Schüssel
, which was inaugurated in 2000, she became Vice Chancellor
and minister of public services
and sports, representing her party in the coalition with Schüssel's Austrian People's Party
(ÖVP). Freedom Party leader Jörg Haider
should have become Vice Chancellor. However, Haider realised he was too controversial to hold the second most-powerful post in Austria, so he stood aside in favour of Riess-Passer, who had been FPÖ managing chairwoman since 1996.
In the course of the formation of the government in 2000, she became chairwoman and leader of the FPÖ. She was known for being loyal to Haider, which earned her the nickname Königskobra (King Cobra
). From the beginning, it was widely believed that Riess-Passer was a figurehead, and Haider still held the real power in the party.
After severe disagreements with her former political mentor Haider in Summer 2002 (the so-called Knittelfeld Putsch
), she resigned from all of her posts, as did finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser
and the party spokesman in parliament, Peter Westenthaler
. After the 2002 elections
, she remained Vice Chancellor on a provisional basis until the coalition between ÖVP and FPÖ was renewed in early 2003, and has since had no involvement in politics.
Since 2004, Riess-Passer has been the CEO of the Wüstenrot-Gruppe
.
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 of the Freedom Party of Austria
Freedom Party of Austria
The Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had...
(FPÖ).
In the first government headed by Chancellor
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
, which was inaugurated in 2000, she became 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 minister of public services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
and sports, representing her party in the coalition with Schüssel's 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). Freedom Party leader Jörg Haider
Jörg Haider
Jörg Haider was an Austrian politician. He was Governor of Carinthia on two occasions, the long-time leader of the Austrian Freedom Party and later Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Austria , a breakaway party from the FPÖ.Haider was controversial within Austria and abroad for comments...
should have become Vice Chancellor. However, Haider realised he was too controversial to hold the second most-powerful post in Austria, so he stood aside in favour of Riess-Passer, who had been FPÖ managing chairwoman since 1996.
In the course of the formation of the government in 2000, she became chairwoman and leader of the FPÖ. She was known for being loyal to Haider, which earned her the nickname Königskobra (King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
). From the beginning, it was widely believed that Riess-Passer was a figurehead, and Haider still held the real power in the party.
After severe disagreements with her former political mentor Haider in Summer 2002 (the so-called Knittelfeld Putsch
Knittelfeld Putsch
Knittelfeld Putsch refers to a conference of the Freedom Party of Austria which took place on 7 September 2002 in the small Austrian town of Knittelfeld, Styria, called due to political differences within the party leadership...
), she resigned from all of her posts, as did finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser
Karl-Heinz Grasser
Karl-Heinz Grasser is a former Austrian politician who held the office of Austrian Minister of Finance from February 2000 to January 2007 as a member of the two subsequent governments of Wolfgang Schüssel...
and the party spokesman in parliament, Peter Westenthaler
Peter Westenthaler
Peter Westenthaler is an Austrian politician. He assumed his mother's maiden name Westenthaler instead of his former surname Hojač...
. After the 2002 elections
Austrian legislative election, 2002
Early parliamentary elections were held in Austria on 24 November 2002, after internal divisions in the Freedom Party of Austria culminating in the Knittelfeld Putsch led to the resignation of several leading FPÖ members. The result was a victory for the ÖVP, which won 79 of the 183 seats, the...
, she remained Vice Chancellor on a provisional basis until the coalition between ÖVP and FPÖ was renewed in early 2003, and has since had no involvement in politics.
Since 2004, Riess-Passer has been the CEO of the Wüstenrot-Gruppe
Wüstenrot-Gruppe
Wüstenrot-Gruppe is an Austrian company for financial services and real-estate. Its main two subsidiaries are the Wüstenrot building society and the Wüstenrot insurance company....
.