Vranitzky, Franz (1937–)

Franz Vranitzky was Austrian chancellor (1986–1997) and head of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ; 1988–1997). He studied business administration, was adviser to Finance Minister Hannes Androsch (in the Kreisky era), and finally became finance minister himself in 1984. At this time Fred Sinowatz (SPÖ) was chancellor of a red-blue coalition between Social Democrats and the Freedom Party (FPÖ).

Following an aggressive election campaign against Kurt Waldheim in the 1986 presidential elections (which was clouded by the Waldheim affair), Sinowatz retired as chancellor after Waldheim won the election. Vranitzky followed him and continued the coalition with the FPÖ until Jörg Haider took over the Freedom Party in September 1986. Vranitzky suffered consequences due to the obvious shift of the FPÖ to the far right and ended the ...