Wolfgang Schüssel

\n Wolfgang Schüssel (born June 7, 1945) is a Conservative Austrian politician. He has been Federal Chancellor of Austria ("Bundeskanzler") since 2000. Born in Vienna, Schüssel attended a well-known Catholic grammar school for boys in Vienna (the Schottengymnasium) where he took his Matura exams in 1963. He went on to study at the University of Vienna and received a Doctorate in Law in 1968. Schüssel was secretary of the parliamentary group of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) from 1968 to 1975. From 1975 to April, 1991 he was Secretary General of the Austrian Business Federation, a sub-organisation of the People's Party. He became Minister for Economic Affairs on April 24, 1989 in a coalition government under Chancellor Franz Vranitzky (SPÖ) formed by the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). On April 22, 1995, at the 30th Party Congress of the ÖVP, Schüssel was elected national leader of the Austrian People's Party . On May 4, 1995 Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs in Franz Vranitzky's fourth government. He held the same posts in Chancellor Vranitzky’s fifth Cabinet. In Chancellor Viktor Klima's (SPÖ) first government, from January 28, 1997 to February 4, 2000, Schüssel was again Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs. On February 4, 2000 Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Federal Chancellor. On February 28, 2003, after a landslide victory, he was sworn in as Federal Chancellor again. The government headed by Schüssel is probably the most controversial since 1945, which to a large extent is due to the coalition formed with the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party, whose former leader is Jörg Haider. Although Haider has never been a member of Schüssel's government, his detrimental influence on federal and party politics was strongly felt, so much so that general elections were announced by Schüssel and held prematurely in November 2002. However, after negotiating for months with both the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the Green Party, Schüssel, whose own party had won a landslide victory, decided to renew his coalition government with the Freedom Party, which had been reduced to a mere 10 per cent of the vote. Schüssel's government was the first government after 30 years with a Bundeskanzler not member of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). In the period from 1945 to 2000 the SPÖ was in the government for 51 years and led it for 30 years. Schüssel sent the SPÖ into opposition (which was another reason for demonstations). Additionally, he created a new decision making process. In Austria there had been a tradition of discussing law suggestions with all relevant groups (including the opposition) and ask for their permission. This seeking for a compromise often led to the smallest common denominator, which made reforms ineffective. Schüssel broke with this tradition. After broad discussions with all relevant groups the decisions were made in the government without asking everyone for permission. The government's attempts at achieving a balanced budget (called "Nulldefizit") as requested by the euro stability conditions of the European Union were more successful than similar attempts in other European countries. But most of the effect was reached by raising fees instead of doing budget savings. The new "Kindergeld" (children money) to help families replaced the old "Karenzgeld". The decision to replace the old Draken airplanes of the Bundesheer with 18 Eurofighter's was seen as waste of money by the opposition. Specially because of the attempts to save money in almost every area of the public administration. The gouvernments arguments for this was the Austrian Staatsvertrag which insists that Austria has its own military control over the air space. The opposition said that this goal could have been reached in a much cheaper way.

Anti-government protesters during a Donnerstagsdemonstration in front of the Austrian Parliament in Vienna

Starting from around 2030 the unfavorable structure of the population pyramid will create a relationship between active and retired workers of 1 : 1 . Schüssels pension reform led to reduction of future pensions and at the same time a raising of the retirement age. International experts agree that Schüssel's reform of the Austrian pension system is more effective than previous reforms in this area combined. The same experts insist that this reform should have been more ambitious and that several large reforms of the pension system have to follow in order to prevent a future financial breakdown. However, the SPÖ and the Austrian trade union federation (ÖGB) did not agree (they said the pension losses, limited by Schüssel to 10%, are too big) and and protested heavily. Although they agree that a pension reform is necessary they want to cancel Schüssel's reform when in government again. Recent efforts to reform the military and to create a uniform pension system are proceeding.\nFor 2005 a large tax reform is planned in which employees and companies are to be relieved. Between 2000 and 2002 there were weekly Donnerstagsdemonstrationen (Thursday Demonstrations) through the city and the inner districts of Vienna. The coalition with the Austrian Freedom Party and the various raised fees because of the "Nulldefizit" policy were the main points of criticism. Schüssel keeps a low profile as far as his private life is concerned. Married with two children, he lives in Vienna and says he prefers spending his vacations in Austria. He is fond of mountaineering in the Austrian Alps (he has actually co-authored a tour guide) and, a lover of music, plays several instruments including the piano. \n{| border="1" cellpadding="10"\n| width="30%" align="center" | Predecessor:
\nViktor Klima | width="40%" align="center" | Chancellors of Austria | width="30%" align="center" | Successor:
\nin office\n|}\n

See also

\n*Chancellor of Austria for a complete list of Bundeskanzler since 1918

External link

\n*Official site of the Bundeskanzleramt (in English) Schüssel, Wolfgang\n\n\n