Elisabeth Köstinger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elisabeth Köstinger
Köstinger in 2020
Minister of Agriculture, Regions, and Tourism
In office 7 January 2020 – 18 May 2022
Chancellor	Sebastian Kurz Alexander Schallenberg Karl Nehammer
Preceded by	Maria Patek
Succeeded by	Norbert Totschnig
In office 18 December 2017 – 3 June 2019
Chancellor	Sebastian Kurz
Preceded by	Andrä Rupprechter
Succeeded by	Maria Patek
President of the National Council
In office 9 November 2017 – 18 December 2017
Preceded by	Doris Bures
Succeeded by	Wolfgang Sobotka
Member of the European Parliament
In office 14 July 2009 – 8 November 2017
Affiliation	EPP Group
Constituency	Austria
Personal details
Born	(1978-11-22) 22 November 1978 (age 46) Wolfsberg, Carinthia, Austria
Political party	People's Party

Elisabeth Köstinger (born 22 November 1978) is an Austrian politician. She served as a government minister in Austria. She was the Minister for Agriculture, Sustainability, and Tourism. She held this role from December 2017 to June 2019, and again from January 2020 to May 2022.

Elisabeth Köstinger is a member of the Austrian People's Party. This party is part of the European People's Party. Before becoming a minister, she was briefly the President of Austria's National Council. She also served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Elisabeth Köstinger's Early Life and Education

Elisabeth Köstinger was born in Wolfsberg, Austria. She attended primary school in Granitztal. Later, she went to secondary school in St. Paul. She also studied at a college for service industries management.

After college, she started studying journalism and communication. This was at the University of Klagenfurt. However, she did not finish her studies. This was because she became very busy with her political work.

Elisabeth Köstinger's Political Journey

Elisabeth Köstinger started her political journey early. She was active in youth organizations. These groups focused on rural areas and farming.

Early Roles in Youth Organizations

• She led a local youth group in Granitztal.
• She became a district leader for rural youth in Wolfsberg.
• Later, she led the regional rural youth group in Carinthia.
• From 2002 to 2006, she was the federal head of the Austrian Rural Youth Organization.
• She also represented Austrian rural youth in Europe.

Serving in the European Parliament (2009–2017)

Elisabeth Köstinger was first elected to the European Parliament in 2009. She represented Austria. She was re-elected in 2014.

In the European Parliament, she worked on important committees. She was part of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. She also served on the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. She focused on topics like farming and equal rights.

Becoming a Minister in Austria

In December 2017, Elisabeth Köstinger became a minister. She was appointed Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, the Environment, and Water Management. Her job title later changed to Minister for Sustainability and Tourism.

She worked under different Chancellors. These included Sebastian Kurz, Alexander Schallenberg, and Karl Nehammer. In May 2022, she announced she would leave politics. She decided to move into the private sector.

Other Activities and Recognition

After leaving government, Elisabeth Köstinger joined the Board of Directors of Ryanair. This is an airline company.

In 2014, she received an award. It was called the MEP Award for Agriculture and Rural Development. This award recognized her excellent work in the European Parliament. She helped with important changes to farming policies in Europe.

Personal Life

Elisabeth Köstinger lives in St. Paul, Carinthia. She has a son, who was born in July 2018.