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List of chancellors of Austria facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Portrait of Renner (1905)
Dollfuss pictured as Kaiserschütze (1933)
Kreisky at an elections campaign (1983)
Clockwise from top left:
  • Renner was the first chancellor of German-Austria, the First Republic, and the Second Republic.
  • Dollfuss turned the First Republic into a dictatorship.
  • Kreisky is considered perhaps Austria's most successful Socialist leader and also the longest serving Chancellor.
  • Bierlein was Austria's first female Chancellor.

The Chancellor of Austria is like the main leader of the Austrian government. This person is chosen by the President and is seen as the country's top manager. The Chancellor leads meetings of the Cabinet, which is a group of important government officials. The Cabinet also includes the Vice-Chancellor and other ministers.

How Austria's Chancellors Began

After World War I, the role of Chancellor was created on October 30, 1918. It was first called the "state chancellor" of German-Austria. Karl Renner was the very first person to hold this position.

Later, other countries did not allow German-Austria to join with Germany. So, Austria became the First Austrian Republic, a federal country. The title then changed to "federal chancellor." Michael Mayr was the first federal chancellor.

Changes in Leadership

Ten chancellors served during the First Republic. Then, Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss changed Austria into a country with a very strong, single-person rule. After Dollfuss was killed by Austrian National Socialists, Kurt Schuschnigg became chancellor. He continued the strong rule.

Schuschnigg was later replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, who was a Nazi leader. He was chancellor for only two days before Austria became part of Nazi Germany.

Austria Under Nazi Germany

When Austria was part of Nazi Germany, it lost its own government system. It was managed by German officials. In 1940, Austria was even renamed "Ostmark" and lost all its independence.

After Vienna was freed and Nazi Germany gave up in 1945, Austria became a republic again. However, other countries still had control over Austria until 1955.

Main Political Parties

Since Austria became a republic, two main political groups have been very important. These are the People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ).

The People's Party and its earlier version have led many governments. The Social Democratic Party and its earlier version have also led many governments. Other parties have joined these main parties in government, but they have not led the country themselves.

Choosing a New Chancellor

After an election, or if the Chancellor's job becomes empty, the President usually chooses the leader of the biggest party in Parliament to be the new Chancellor. The President also appoints other government members based on the Chancellor's suggestions.

If a Chancellor dies, quits, or cannot do their job, the Vice-Chancellor steps in as acting Chancellor. If the Vice-Chancellor is also unavailable, other government members take over based on their rank.

Longest and Shortest Terms

Bruno Kreisky was the Chancellor for the longest time, serving over thirteen years. On the other hand, Arthur Seyss-Inquart was Chancellor for the shortest time, only two days. Walter Breisky was the shortest-serving acting Chancellor, holding the job for just one day.

Chancellors

  Acting   Acting chancellors

Key to parties
     Austrian People's Party / Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP)
  •      1891–1934: Christian Social Party / Christlichsoziale Partei (CS)
  •      2017–present: New People's Party / Neue Volkspartei
     Social Democratic Party of Austria / Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ)
  •      1889–1934: Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria / Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei Österreichs (SDAPÖ)

     Freedom Party of Austria / Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ)

     Alliance for the Future of Austria / Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ)

     Communist Party of Austria / Kommunistische Partei Österreichs (KPÖ)      The Greens / die Grünen      Independent / unabhängig

Key to historical parties
     1920–1934: Greater German People's Party / Großdeutsche Volkspartei (GDVP)      1922–1934: Rural Federation / Landbund (LBd)

     1920–1936: Homeland Guard / Heimwehr

     1933–1938: Fatherland Front / Vaterländische Front (VF)      1920–1945: National Socialist German Worker's Party / Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP)
No. Portrait Name
(born–died)
Term of office Party Elected Cabinet
coalition
Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Karl Renner 1920 by Theodor Bauer.jpg Karl Renner
(1870–1950)
30 October 1918 7 July 1920 1 year, 251 days SDAPÖ 1919 Renner I–II–III
SDAPÖ CS GDVP
2 Michael Mayr.jpg Michael Mayr
(1864–1922)
7 July 1920 21 June 1921 349 days CS 1920 Mayr I–II
CS SDAPÖ

3 Schober.png Johannes Schober
(1874–1932)
21 June 1921 26 January 1922 344 days IND Schober I
CS GDVP Technocrats
Walter Breisky (1871–1944) 1927 © Georg Fayer (1892–1950) OeNB 10449491.jpg Walter Breisky
(1871–1944)
Acting
26 January 1922 27 January 1922 1 day CS Breisky
CS GDVP
(3) Schober.png Johannes Schober
(1874–1932)
27 January 1922 31 May 1922 124 days IND Schober II
CS GDVP Technocrats
4 Wenzl Weis - Ignaz Seipel.jpg Ignaz Seipel
(1876–1932)
31 May 1922 20 November 1924 2 years, 173 days CS 1923 Seipel I–II–III
CS GDVP Technocrats
5 Rudolf Ramek 1-E-895.jpg Rudolf Ramek
(1881–1941)
20 November 1924 20 October 1926 1 year, 334 days CS Ramek I–II
CS GDVP
(4) Wenzl Weis - Ignaz Seipel.jpg Ignaz Seipel
(1876–1932)
20 October 1926 4 May 1929 2 years, 196 days CS 1927 Seipel IV–V
CS GDVP LBd
6 Streeruwitz (table crop).jpg Ernst Streeruwitz
(1874–1952)
4 May 1929 26 September 1929 145 days CS Streeruwitz
CS LBd
(3) Johann Schober (1874–1932) 1927 © Georg Fayer (1892–1950) OeNB 10453983.jpg Johannes Schober
(1874–1932)
26 September 1929 30 September 1930 1 year, 4 days IND Schober III
CS
7 Carl Vaugoin (1933).jpg Carl Vaugoin
(1873–1949)
30 September 1930 4 December 1930 65 days CS Vaugoin
CS
8 OttoEnder1929.jpg Otto Ender
(1875–1960)
4 December 1930 20 June 1931 198 days CS 1930 Ender
CS
9 Buresch, Karl, Chancellor of Austria, Agence Mondial, BNF Gallica.jpg Karl Buresch
(1878–1936)
20 June 1931 20 May 1932 335 days CS Buresch I–II
CS LBd
10 Engelbert Dollfuss 1-E-652.jpg Engelbert Dollfuss
(1892–1934)
20 May 1932 25 July 1934 † 2 years, 66 days CS Dollfuss I
CS LBd Heimwehr
20 May 1932 – 1 May 1934

Dollfuss II
VF
1 May 1934 – 25 July 1934
VF
ErnstRüdigerFürstStarhembergBA1556417.jpg Prince
Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg
(1899–1956)
Acting
25 July 1934 29 July 1934 4 days VF Dollfuss II
VF
11 KurtVonSchuschnigg1936-3.jpg Kurt Schuschnigg
(1897–1977)
29 July 1934 11 March 1938 3 years, 225 days VF Schuschnigg I–II–III–IV–V
VF
12 Arthur Seyss-Inquart (cropped).jpg Arthur Seyss-Inquart
(1892–1946)
11 March 1938 13 March 1938 2 days NSDAP Seyss-Inquart
NSDAP
Austria was part of Nazi Germany from 13 March 1938 to 27 April 1945
(1) Karl Renner 1-E-901 (cropped).jpg Karl Renner
(1870–1950)
27 April 1945 20 December 1945 237 days SPÖ Renner IV
SPÖ ÖVP KPÖ
13 Figl leopold 01b.jpg Leopold Figl
(1902–1965)
20 December 1945 2 April 1953 7 years, 103 days ÖVP 1945 Figl I–II–III
ÖVP SPÖ
1949
14 Julius-Raab-1961.jpg Julius Raab
(1891–1964)
2 April 1953 11 April 1961 8 years, 9 days ÖVP 1953 Raab I–II–III–IV
ÖVP SPÖ
1956
1959
15 Alfons Gorbach 1965.jpg Alfons Gorbach
(1898–1972)
11 April 1961 2 April 1964 2 years, 357 days ÖVP 1962 Gorbach I–II
ÖVP SPÖ
16 Josef Klaus 1964.jpg Josef Klaus
(1910–2001)
2 April 1964 21 April 1970 6 years, 19 days ÖVP Klaus I
ÖVP SPÖ
1966 Klaus II
ÖVP
17 President Jimmy Carter with Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky (cropped).jpg Bruno Kreisky
(1911–1990)
21 April 1970 24 May 1983 13 years, 33 days SPÖ 1970 Kreisky I–II–III–IV
SPÖ
1971
1975
1979
18 Fred Sinowatz, Austrian politician.jpg Fred Sinowatz
(1929–2008)
24 May 1983 16 June 1986 3 years, 23 days SPÖ 1983 Sinowatz
SPÖ FPÖ
19 SPÖ Presse und Kommunikation 52 (7534272276) (cropped).jpg Franz Vranitzky
(born 1937)
16 June 1986 28 January 1997 10 years, 226 days SPÖ 1986 Vranitzky I–II
SPÖ FPÖ
1990 Vranitzky III–IV–V
SPÖ ÖVP
1994
1995
20 Bundeskanzler Viktor Klima (cropped).JPG Viktor Klima
(born 1947)
28 January 1997 4 February 2000 3 years, 7 days SPÖ Klima
SPÖ ÖVP
21 Wolfgang Schüssel - EPP Congress Rome 2006 (168) (cropped).jpg Wolfgang Schüssel
(born 1945)
4 February 2000 11 January 2007 6 years, 341 days ÖVP 1999 Schüssel I
ÖVP FPÖ
4 February 2000 – 3 April 2005

Schüssel II
ÖVP BZÖ
3 April 2005 – 11 January 2007
2002
22 Alfred Gusenbauer 26.10.2008 (cropped).jpg Alfred Gusenbauer
(born 1960)
11 January 2007 2 December 2008 1 year, 326 days SPÖ 2006 Gusenbauer
SPÖ ÖVP
23 Portrait Werner Faymann (2722260630).jpg Werner Faymann
(born 1960)
2 December 2008 9 May 2016 7 years, 159 days SPÖ 2008 Faymann I–II
SPÖ ÖVP
2013
DOORSTEP 2016-09-23 (29757363802) (cropped).jpg Reinhold Mitterlehner
(born 1955)
Acting
9 May 2016 17 May 2016 8 days ÖVP Faymann II
SPÖ ÖVP
24 Christian Kern 2016 (portrait).jpg Christian Kern
(born 1966)
17 May 2016 18 December 2017 1 year, 215 days SPÖ Kern
SPÖ ÖVP
25 Sebastian Kurz crop.jpg Sebastian Kurz
(born 1986)
18 December 2017 28 May 2019 1 year, 161 days ÖVP 2017 Kurz I
ÖVP FPÖ
18 December 2017 – 22 May 2019

ÖVP
22 May 2019 – 28 May 2019
2017 Finanzminister Hartwig Löger (39136614571) (cropped).jpg Hartwig Löger
(born 1965)
Acting
28 May 2019 3 June 2019 6 days ÖVP Kurz I
ÖVP
26 Brigitte Bierlein 2018 (portrait crop).jpg Brigitte Bierlein
(1949–2024)
3 June 2019 7 January 2020 218 days IND Bierlein
Technocrats
(25) Sebastian Kurz (2018-02-28) (cropped).jpg Sebastian Kurz
(born 1986)
7 January 2020 11 October 2021 1 year, 277 days ÖVP 2019 Kurz II
ÖVP Greens
27 Alexander Schallenberg (51029203647).jpg Alexander Schallenberg
(born 1969)
11 October 2021 6 December 2021 56 days ÖVP Schallenberg
ÖVP Greens
28 2020 Karl Nehammer Ministerrat am 8.1.2020 (49351366976) (cropped) (cropped).jpg Karl Nehammer
(born 1972)
6 December 2021 10 January 2025 3 years, 35 days ÖVP Nehammer
ÖVP Greens
Alexander Schallenberg 20230913.jpg Alexander Schallenberg
(born 1969)
Acting
10 January 2025 3 March 2025 52 days ÖVP Nehammer
ÖVP Greens
29 Christian Stocker 2025 (cropped) (cropped).jpg Christian Stocker
(born 1960)
3 March 2025 Incumbent 143 days ÖVP 2024 Stocker
ÖVP SPÖ NEOS

Timeline

Christian Stocker Karl Nehammer Alexander Schallenberg Brigitte Bierlein Hartwig Löger Sebastian Kurz Christian Kern Reinhold Mitterlehner Werner Faymann Alfred Gusenbauer Wolfgang Schüssel Viktor Kilma Franz Vranitzky Fred Sinowatz Bruno Kreisky Josef Klaus Alfons Gorbach Julius Raab Leopold Figl Arthur Seyss-Iquart Kurt Schuschnigg Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg Engelbert Dollfuss Karl Buresch Otto Ender Carl Vaugoin Ernst Streeruwitz Rudolf Ramek Ignaz Seipel Walter Breisky Johannes Schober Michael Mayr Karl Renner

See also

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