Michael Spindelegger

Michael Spindelegger
Vice Chancellor of Austria
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 April 2011
Chancellor	Werner Faymann
Preceded by	Josef Pröll
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 December 2008
Chancellor	Werner Faymann
Preceded by	Ursula Plassnik
Personal details
Born	21 December 1959 (1959-12-21) (age 51) 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 lawyer and politician. He is the current Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria in the cabinet of Werner Faymann. Since 2011, Spindelegger is the current leader of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP).

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]

On 2 December 2008 he became Foreign Minister of Austria, in April 2011 he additionally took over the post of Vice Chancellor from Josef Pröll. He is expected to be elected ÖVP Party Chairman in May 2011.

Awards

In May 2004, Spindelegger received the "Grand Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria in Silver with Star" (Großes Silbernes Ehrenzeichen mit dem Stern für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich).^[6]

Notes and references

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Dr.Michael Spindelegger - Curriculum Vitae". Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (Austria). http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/foreign-ministry/foreign-ministry/der-aussenminister/lebenslauf.html. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
2. ^ "Michael Spindelegger im Porträt" (in German). ORF. 2008-11-24. http://noe.orf.at/stories/324318/. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
3. ^ Mayer, Thomas (2006-10-31). "Kopf des Tages: Michael Spindelegger" (in German). Der Standard. http://derstandard.at/?id=2642023&sap=2&_pid=5422827. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
4. ^ "Michael SPINDELEGGER". European Parliament. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/archive/alphaOrder/view.do?language=EN&id=2052. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
5. ^ "Parliament: swearing-in of new Members of Parliament". Austrian Federal Chancellery. http://www.bka.gv.at/site/infodate__06.11.2006/4970/default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-12-17. 
6. ^ "EHRENZEICHEN FÜR VERDIENTE MANDATERiNNEN" (in German). Austrian Parliament. 2004-05-04. http://www.parlament.gv.at/PG/PR/JAHR_2004/PK0310/PK0310.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 

External links

• (German) Michael Spindelegger at the ÖVP website

Political offices
Preceded by Ursula Plassnik	Minister of Foreign Affairs 2008–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Josef Pröll	Vice Chancellor of Austria 2011–present
Party political offices
Preceded by Josef Pröll	Leader of the Austrian People's Party 2011–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Spindelegger, Michael
Alternative names
Short description	Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Austria
Date of birth	December 21, 1959
Place of birth	Mödling, Austria
Date of death
Place of death