Viktor Klima facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Viktor Klima
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Klima in 1998
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| Chancellor of Austria | |
| In office 28 January 1997 – 4 February 2000 |
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| President | Thomas Klestil |
| Vice-Chancellor | Wolfgang Schüssel |
| Preceded by | Franz Vranitzky |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Schüssel |
| Chair of the Social Democratic Party | |
| In office 9 April 1997 – 28 April 2000 |
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| Preceded by | Franz Vranitzky |
| Succeeded by | Alfred Gusenbauer |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 12 March 1996 – 28 January 1997 |
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| Chancellor | Franz Vranitzky |
| Preceded by | Andreas Staribacher |
| Succeeded by | Rudolf Edlinger |
| Minister of Public Economy and Transport | |
| In office 3 April 1992 – 12 March 1996 |
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| Chancellor | Franz Vranitzky |
| Preceded by | Rudolf Streicher |
| Succeeded by | Rudolf Scholten |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 June 1947 Schwechat, Austria |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party |
| Profession |
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| Signature |  |
Viktor Klima (born 4 June 1947) is an Austrian Social Democrat politician and businessman. He served as the chancellor of Austria from 1997 to 2000.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Viktor Klima was born in Schwechat, Austria, on June 4, 1947. He began his career in 1969 at OMV, which was then a state-owned oil company. Klima worked there until 1992, eventually becoming a member of its management board.
Becoming a Minister
Even though many Austrians did not know him well, Chancellor Franz Vranitzky appointed Viktor Klima as the Minister of Transportation and Nationalised Industry in 1992. He held this important role until 1996. After that, he served as the Finance Minister for one year.
Chancellor of Austria
In 1997, Franz Vranitzky stepped down, and Viktor Klima was chosen to lead the Social Democratic Party. He then became the Chancellor of Austria. He continued the "grand coalition" government, which was a partnership between his party, the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), and the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). Wolfgang Schüssel served as his vice chancellor.
Political Approach
As chancellor, Viktor Klima was influenced by the "Third Way" idea, which was popular with other European leaders like Tony Blair. Under his leadership, the Social Democrats moved more towards the political center. They started using "spin doctors" to help shape public opinion and sometimes used populism as a way to gain support.
During this time, the government continued to sell off some state-owned businesses. They also made some small changes to public services that were part of Austria's welfare state. Some traditional supporters of the Social Democrats, especially working-class people, were not happy with these changes. They started to support the Freedom Party (FPÖ), led by Jörg Haider. However, Klima, like his predecessor, clearly stated that he would not form a government with Haider's party.
End of Chancellorship
After the elections in October 1999, the Social Democrats lost many votes. Because of this, Viktor Klima resigned as the leader of his party. Alfred Gusenbauer took over his party leadership role.
In February 2000, Wolfgang Schüssel from the Austrian People's Party became the new chancellor. He formed a government with the Freedom Party.
Business Career After Politics
A few weeks after leaving office, Viktor Klima started a new job at Volkswagen in Argentina. He got this position with the help of his friend, Gerhard Schröder. At that time, Argentina was going through a difficult economic period.
By mid-2006, Klima became the General Manager for all of Volkswagen's operations in South America. He worked in this role until 2011. His experience in both politics and business helped him build strong connections. He worked with important figures like Argentina's former presidents, Néstor Kirchner and Eduardo Duhalde. Viktor Klima retired in 2011 and now lives on a cattle farm near Buenos Aires.
Images for kids
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Viktor Klima's signature
See also
In Spanish: Viktor Klima para niños
