Michael Spindelegger

Michael Spindelegger
Minister of Finance
In office
16 December 2013 – 1 September 2014
Chancellor Werner Faymann
Preceded by Maria Fekter
Succeeded by Hans Jörg Schelling
Vice Chancellor of Austria
In office
21 April 2011 – 1 September 2014
Chancellor Werner Faymann
Preceded by Josef Pröll
Succeeded by Reinhold Mitterlehner
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
2 December 2008 – 16 December 2013
Chancellor Werner Faymann
Preceded by Ursula Plassnik
Succeeded by Sebastian Kurz
Personal details
Born 21 December 1959
Mödling, Austria
Political party Austrian People's Party
Spouse(s) Margit Spindelegger
Children 2 sons
Alma mater University of Vienna
Religion Roman Catholicism

Michael Spindelegger (born December 21, 1959) is an Austrian politician. He served in the cabinet of Chancellor Werner Faymann as Foreign Minister of Austria from 2008 to 2013 and as Finance Minister from 2013 to 2014; additionally, he was Vice Chancellor from 2011 to 2014. Spindelegger was also the leader of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) from 2011 to 2014. On August 26, 2014 he unexpectedly resigned from all political positions.

Early and personal life

Spindelegger was born in Mödling, 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.[1]

Spindelegger is married, and has two sons.[2] He is member of the Austrian Catholic student fraternity Cartellverband.[3]

Professional career

From 1982 to 1983, Spindelegger was Assistant Lecturer and Researcher at the Institute of Criminal Law, University of Vienna.

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.[1]

Political career

From 1992 to 1993, Spindelegger was Member of the Federal Council of Austria.

From January 1995 to October 1996, Spindelegger was Member of the European Parliament.[4]

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.[1]

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.[5] He held this office until November 2008.[1]

Between 2008 and 2013 he served as Foreign Minister of Austria, in April 2011 he additionally took over the post of Vice Chancellor from Josef Pröll. He was elected ÖVP Party Chairman in May 2011. In 2013 Spindelegger became Austria's Finance Minister.

He resigned at the end of August 2014 following disputes over tax reform. The Social Democrats and some within his party called for a new tax on wealth which he opposed saying that the focus should be on cutting national debt levels that were scheduled to reach 80% of GDP by the end of the year. He said: "The Austrian way must be oriented toward Berlin and not toward Athens." Economic Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner was chosen as the new head of the party.[6] Chancellor Werner Faymann said he expected the governing coalition to see out its term.[7]

Awards

Spindelegger received :

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Dr. Michael Spindelegger - Curriculum Vitae". Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (Austria). Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  2. ↑ "Michael Spindelegger im Porträt" (in German). ORF. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  3. ↑ Mayer, Thomas (2006-10-31). "Kopf des Tages: Michael Spindelegger" (in German). Der Standard. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  4. ↑ "Michael SPINDELEGGER". European Parliament. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  5. ↑ "Parliament: swearing-in of new Members of Parliament". Austrian Federal Chancellery. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  6. ↑ http://online.wsj.com/articles/austrian-finance-minister-michael-spindelegger-quits-in-tax-reform-dispute-1409046824
  7. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/26/us-austria-spindelegger-coalition-idUSKBN0GQ0QA20140826
  8. ↑ "EHRENZEICHEN FÜR VERDIENTE MANDATERiNNEN" (in German). Austrian Parliament. 2004-05-04. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  9. ↑ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 1639. Retrieved November 2012.
  10. ↑ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). p. 2015. Retrieved November 2012.

External links

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Political offices
Preceded by
Ursula Plassnik		 Minister of Foreign Affairs
2008–2013 		Succeeded by
Sebastian Kurz
Preceded by
Josef Pröll		 Vice Chancellor of Austria
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Reinhold Mitterlehner
Preceded by
Maria Fekter		 Minister of Finance
2013–2014 		Succeeded by
Hans Jörg Schelling
Party political offices
Preceded by
Josef Pröll		 Leader of the Austrian People's Party
2011–2014 		Succeeded by
Reinhold Mitterlehner