Franz Vranitzky

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Franz Vranitzky ~1990, Austrian Chancellor 1986-97.

Franz Vranitzky (born October 4, 1937) is a former Austrian politician of the SPÖ party (social democrats). He was Chancellor of Austria from 1986 until 1997.

From 1976 till 1984 Vranitzky was director of several banks, and till 1986 Minister of Finance.

After the president election of Kurt Waldheim, Chancellor Fred Sinowatz receded and proposed Franz Vranitzky to be his successor. For the present the Coalition government with the FPÖ was continued.

But at the party rally of September 13, 1986 the moderate Vice Chancellor Norbert Steger won less than 50% of the votes and the right-wing populist Jörg Haider was elected as the new FPÖ chairman. Therefore Vranitzky dissolved the government (14 September), and new parliamentary elections took place.

A new government was formed on January 21, 1987 by SPÖ and ÖVP (Christian democrats). Vranitzky became Chancellor again, Vice Chancellor was now Alois Mock, ÖVP.

During the government Vranitzky III, Austria became a member of the EU in 1995. In foreign policy some discussions on Federal President Kurt Waldheim (officer during World War II) caused a sort of international isolation. Domestic policy was influenced by almost no contacts Vranitzky-Haider, while the FPÖ got about 20% at intermediate elections.

Vranitzky receded in January 1997 and undertook OSCE tasks for Albania. His successor as a Prime Minister was the former Minister of Finance Viktor Klima.