Werner Faymann

Chancellor of Austria
Incumbent

Assumed office 2 December 2008

President Heinz Fischer

Deputy Josef Pröll

Preceded by Alfred Gusenbauer

Born 4 May 1960 (age 49) Vienna, Austria

Political party SPÖ

Religion Roman Catholicism[1

Werner Faymann (born May 4, 1960) is an Austrian politician, and the current Chancellor of Austria (see Faymann cabinet).

Background and earlier career

He was born in Vienna, Austria.
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.[2]
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 lead his party in the snap legislative elections, held on 28 September 2008. Although the SPÖ lost 11 seats, and had a 6% swing against it, 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%).[2][3]
Faymann is married and has two children.[2][4]

Chancellor

As head of the largest party in the National Council of Austria, Faymann was asked by Federal President Heinz Fischer on 8 October to form a new Government.[5]
A coalition was agreed upon on 23 November 2008, between the SPÖ and the ÖVP and it was sworn in on 2 December 2008.[6]

See also

Politics of Austria

References

• ^ “12 Fragen an die Parteichefs - abseits des Wahlkampfes” (in German). Oberösterreichische Nachrichten. 2008-09-27. http://www.nachrichten.at/dcarchiv/index.php?query=-shlyc:client/ooen/ooen/textarch/j2008/q3/m09/t27/ph/s003/003_001.dcs&ausgabe=H:Hauptausgabe&datum=27.09.2008&seite=003. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
• ^ a b c “Curriculum Vitae of Werner Faymann”. Federal Chancellery of Austria. http://www.bka.gv.at/site/5943/default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
• ^ “Nationalratswahlen 2008″ (in German). Federal Ministry for the Interior. http://wahl08.bmi.gv.at/. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
• ^ “Werner Faymann” (in German). Social Democratic Party of Austria. http://www.spoe.at/page.php?P=101378. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
• ^ “Austrian President Fischer Asks Faymann to Form Government”. Bloomberg L.P.. 2008-10-08. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=azJs.9iZJ5Mo. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
• ^ “New Austrian government takes office”. Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 2008-12-02. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/02/europe/EU-Austria-New-Government.php. Retrieved 2009-03-11

External links

• Werner Faymann’s Party Site
• Federal Chancellor of Austria Site