Reinhold Mitterlehner

Reinhold Mitterlehner (born 10 December 1955) is an Austrian politician of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) who served as minister of economy in Austria's government from 2008 until 2017. In September 2014 he also became vice chancellor of Austria and chairman of the ÖVP. On 9 May 2016 he briefly assumed powers and duties as Acting Chancellor of Austria while his coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party, underwent a change in leadership.[1][2] After a series of quarrels within the grand coalition as well as his own party, Mitterlehner announced his resignation on 10 May 2017, which became effective on 17 May 2017.[3]

Reinhold Mitterlehner
Acting Chancellor of Austria
In office 9 May 2016 – 17 May 2016
President	Heinz Fischer
Preceded by	Werner Faymann
Succeeded by	Christian Kern
Vice Chancellor of Austria
In office 1 September 2014 – 17 May 2017
President	Heinz Fischer Alexander Van der Bellen
Chancellor	Werner Faymann Christian Kern
Preceded by	Michael Spindelegger
Succeeded by	Wolfgang Brandstetter
Minister of Science, Research and Economy
In office 16 December 2013 – 17 May 2017
Chancellor	Werner Faymann Christian Kern
Preceded by	Karlheinz Töchterle (Science and Research) Himself (Economy, Family and Youth)
Succeeded by	Harald Mahrer
Minister of Economy, Family and Youth
In office 2 December 2008 – 16 December 2013
Chancellor	Werner Faymann
Preceded by	Martin Bartenstein (Economy and Labour) Andrea Kdolsky (Health, Family and Youth)
Succeeded by	Sophie Karmasin (Family and Youth) Himself (Science, Research and Economy)
Personal details
Born	10 December 1955 Helfenberg, Austria
Political party	People's Party
Children	3
Alma mater	Johannes Kepler University Linz

Early life and education

Mitterlehner was born in Helfenberg, Upper Austria, on 10 December 1955.[4][5] He holds a doctorate in law, which he received from the Johannes Kepler University Linz in 1980.[5] He then attended a post-graduate course in association management in Fribourg.[6]

Career

From 1980 to 1992 Mitterlehner worked at the Upper Austrian economic chamber, where he assumed various posts, including the head of the marketing department.[7] From 1992 to 2000 he served as the secretary general of the Austrian Economic League (ÖWB) in Vienna.[7] In addition, he was a local politician in Ahorn from 1991 to 1997.[4] He was appointed party chairman for Rohrbach District in May 2002.[6]

Member of the Austrian Parliament, 2000–2008

A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP),[4] Mitterlehner was elected to the Austrian Parliament on 8 February 2000,[7] where he served on the Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (2000–2008); the Committee on Economic Affairs (2000–2008); and the finance committee (2003–2008), among others.

Meanwhile, also in 2000, Mitterlehner was named deputy secretary general of the Austrian federal economic chamber (WKO), holding that post until 2008.[6]

Federal Minister of Economic Affairs, 2008–2017

Following the 2008 national elections, on 2 December 2008, Mitterlehner was appointed as Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth as part of the coalition government led by Chancellor Werner Faymann.[8][9] In 2008, he was also named vice president of the Austrian Energy Agency.[5]

Mitterlehner was one of the leading candidates to succeed Josef Pröll, who left the leadership of the party in April 2011.[10] Instead, from 2011 to 2014 he was deputy federal chairman of the People's Party and only became the successor of Michael Spindelegger as party chairman in September 2014 from whom he also took the position of Vice Chancellor of Austria.[5] At the time, Mitterlehner said he would prefer not to serve as finance minister as well, a dual role that Spindelegger had performed.[11]

After the ÖVP lost votes in provincial elections to the right-wing, anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ) in 2015, Mitterlehner publicly threatened to quit the coalition government if Faymann's Social Democrat partners did not toughen their policies on migrants and shrink the welfare state.[12]

Other activities

Corporate boards

• Oberösterreichische Versicherung (OÖ), Chairman of the Supervisory Board (since 2019)[13][14]
• Global Hydro Energy, Member of the Advisory Board[15]

Non-profit organizations

• Österreichische Forschungsgemeinschaft (ÖFG), President (since 2018)[16][17]
• National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism, ex officio member of the board of trustees
• Industriewissenschaftliches Institut (IWI), member of the board of trustees
• International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE), member of the board of trustees

Personal life

Mitterlehner is married and has three daughters.[4]

References

1. Connolly, Kate (9 May 2016). "Faymann quits as Austrian chancellor following far right's election victory". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
2. "Christian Kern named as new Austrian Chancellor". POLITICO. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
3. "Vizekanzler Mitterlehner tritt zurück". news.ORF.at (in German). 10 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
4. "Austria's New Cabinet: Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner". Wikileaks. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
5. "Mr. Reinhold Mitterlehrar, Dr. iur.". Austrian Politics Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
6. "Keynote speakers". Power-Gen Europe. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
7. "The Minister". Federal Minister of Economy, Family and Youth. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
8. Kurt Richard Luther (2009). "The Revival of the Radical Right: The Austrian Parliamentary Election of 2008" (PDF). Keele European Parties Research Unit. Working papers (29). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
9. "Austrian ministries". Rulers. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
10. Chris Bryant (13 April 2011). "Austria's finance minister quits politics". Financial Times. Vienna. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
11. Michael Shields (August 31, 2014), Austrian conservatives pick Schelling as finance minister Reuters.
12. Shadia Nasralla (September 30, 2015), Austrian vice chancellor threatens to quit coalition government Reuters.
13. Mitterlehner wird Aufsichtsrats-Chef der OÖ Versicherung Kurier, February 1, 2019.
14. Mitterlehner wird Aufsichtschef in OÖ-Versicherung Wiener Zeitung, February 1, 2019.
15. Noch ein neuer Job für Reinhold Mitterlehner Die Presse, March 8, 2013.
16. Organization Österreichische Forschungsgemeinschaft (ÖFG).
17. Reinhold Mitterlehner neuer Präsident der Forschungsgemeinschaft Der Standard, July 3, 2018.

External links

• Media related to Reinhold Mitterlehner at Wikimedia Commons