Werner Faymann
Encyclopedia
Werner Faymann (ˈvɛɐ̯nɐ ˈfaɪman; born May 4, 1960) is Chancellor of Austria
and chairman of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ
(see Faymann cabinet
).
, Austria
, he studied law at the University of Vienna
for two years but did not graduate.
From 1985 to 1988 Faymann was a consultant at the Zentralsparkasse Bank (now Bank Austria
), which he left to become director and provincial chairman of the Viennese Tenants' counselling. He was also provincial chairman of Socialist Youth Vienna (Sozialistische Jugend Wien) from 1985 until 1994 when he became a member of the Viennese state parliament and municipal council; where he held various positions concerning housing construction and urban renewal.
Faymann was Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology in the Cabinet
of Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer
. On 16 June 2008 Faymann replaced Gusenbauer as chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
(SPÖ) and led his party in the snap legislative elections
, held on 28 September 2008. The election was famously preceded by Faymann and Gusenbauer together announcing a shift in the party´s position towards the signing of new EU treaties, which they did by writing an open letter to Hans Dichand
, the editor of the yellow press medium Kronenzeitung, the largest newspaper in the country. This caused a scandal within the party because the shift was not decided by any party gremium, and lead the pro-EU People´s Party (ÖVP
) to end the existing coalition, thus causing the elections. Faymann was known for his good relationship with the now-deceased Dichand, who would also support him in the following election campaign. Although the SPÖ lost 11 seats, and had a 6% swing against it (in fact, their worst result since the Second World War) they came ahead their main rivals Austrian People's Party in both seats (57 to 51), and share of the vote (29.26% to 25.98%). Afterwards, Faymann renewed the coalition with the People´s Party, as he had announced before the election.
Faymann is married and has two children.
, Faymann was asked by Federal President Heinz Fischer
on 8 October to form a new Government.
A coalition was agreed upon on 23 November 2008, between the SPÖ and the ÖVP
and it was sworn in on 2 December 2008.
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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...
and chairman of the Social Democratic Party SPÖ
SPO
- Technology :SPO: Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Cloud Computing, Office 365. See Microsoft Online Services-Economics:* Secondary Public Offering, an equity capital market instrument...
(see Faymann cabinet
Faymann cabinet
The government of Werner Faymann was sworn in on December 2, 2008. Following the resignation of Vice Chancellor and ÖVP party chairman Josef Pröll from all political functions, a cabinet reshuffle took place, the new government members sworn in by the President of Austria on 21 April 2011.-...
).
Background and earlier career
Born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
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...
, 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...
for two years but did not graduate.
From 1985 to 1988 Faymann was a consultant at the Zentralsparkasse Bank (now Bank Austria
Bank Austria
UniCredit Bank Austria AG is a Central and Eastern European bank, 96.35% owned by UniCredit Group.BA-CA's history goes as far back as 1855, the year the Creditanstalt was founded. In 1991, Zentralsparkasse und Kommerzialbank and Oesterreichische Laenderbank merged to form Bank Austria. In 1997,...
), which he left to become director and provincial chairman of the Viennese Tenants' counselling. He was also provincial chairman of Socialist Youth Vienna (Sozialistische Jugend Wien) from 1985 until 1994 when he became a member of the Viennese state parliament and municipal council; where he held various positions concerning housing construction and urban renewal.
Faymann was Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology in the Cabinet
Gusenbauer cabinet
The government of Alfred Gusenbauer was sworn in on January 11, 2007 and left office on December 2, 2008....
of Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer
Alfred Gusenbauer
Alfred Gusenbauer is an Austrian career politician who until 2008 spent his entire professional life as an employee of the Social Democratic Party of Austria or as a parliamentary representative. He headed the SPÖ from 2000 to 2008, and served as Chancellor of Austria from January 2007 to...
. On 16 June 2008 Faymann replaced Gusenbauer as chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria
Social Democratic Party of Austria
The Social Democratic Party of Austria is one of the oldest political parties in Austria. The SPÖ is one of the two major parties in Austria, and has ties to trade unions and the Austrian Chamber of Labour. The SPÖ is among the few mainstream European social-democratic parties that have preserved...
(SPÖ) and led his party in the snap legislative elections
Austrian legislative election, 2008
A legislative snap election for the National Council in Austria was held on 28 September 2008. The previous election was held on 1 October 2006. The election was caused by the withdrawal of Austrian People's Party leader Wilhelm Molterer from the governing grand coalition on 7 July 2008...
, held on 28 September 2008. The election was famously preceded by Faymann and Gusenbauer together announcing a shift in the party´s position towards the signing of new EU treaties, which they did by writing an open letter to Hans Dichand
Hans Dichand
Hans Dichand was an Austrian journalist, writer, and media businessman. He published the tabloid newspaper Kronen Zeitung, Austria's largest newspaper in terms of readership, in which at the time of his death he held a 50% stake...
, the editor of the yellow press medium Kronenzeitung, the largest newspaper in the country. This caused a scandal within the party because the shift was not decided by any party gremium, and lead the pro-EU People´s Party (ÖVP
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...
) to end the existing coalition, thus causing the elections. Faymann was known for his good relationship with the now-deceased Dichand, who would also support him in the following election campaign. Although the SPÖ lost 11 seats, and had a 6% swing against it (in fact, their worst result since the Second World War) they came ahead their main rivals Austrian People's Party in both seats (57 to 51), and share of the vote (29.26% to 25.98%). Afterwards, Faymann renewed the coalition with the People´s Party, as he had announced before the election.
Faymann is married and has two children.
Chancellor
As head of the largest party in the National Council of AustriaNational 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...
, Faymann was asked by Federal President Heinz Fischer
Heinz Fischer
Heinz Fischer GColIH is the President of Austria. He took office on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010. Before he took office, Fischer was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria...
on 8 October to form a new Government.
A coalition was agreed upon on 23 November 2008, between the SPÖ and the ÖVP
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...
and it was sworn in on 2 December 2008.
External links
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