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'''Wolfgang Schussel''' (lahir [[7 Juni]] [[1945]]) merupakan kanselir [[Austria]] saat ini sejak 2000.
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[[Image:wolfgang-schuessel.jpg|thumbnail|right|Wolfgang Schüssel]]
'''Wolfgang Schussel''' (lahir [[7 Juni]] [[1945]]) di [[Vienna]]) adalah politisi [[Partai Rakyat Austria]] (''Austrian People's Party'') atau Kristen Demokratik Austria (''Christian Democratic Austrian''). Ia menjabat [[Kanselir Austria]] sejak tahun [[2000]]. Pada awal tahun [[2006]], ia menjabat Presiden Dewan Eropa (''President of the European Council'').
==Early career==
Schüssel attended a well-known [[Roman Catholic]] [[gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] for boys in Vienna called the ''[[Schottengymnasium]]'' where he took his ''[[Matura]]'' exams in [[1963]]. He went on to study at the [[University of Vienna]] and received a [[Doctorate]] in [[Law]] in [[1968]].
Schüssel was secretary of the parliamentary group of the [[Austrian People's Party]] (ÖVP) from [[1968]] to [[1975]]. From 1975 to [[1991]] he was Secretary General of the Austrian Business Federation, a sub-organisation of the Christian Democratic People's Party.
==Minister in the "Grand Coalition"==
He became Minister for Economic Affairs on [[April 24]], [[1989]] in a coalition government under Chancellor [[Franz Vranitzky]] (SPÖ) formed by the [[Austrian Social Democratic Party]] (SPÖ) and the [[Austrian People's Party]] (ÖVP).
On [[April 22]], [[1995]], at the 30th Party Congress of the ÖVP, Schüssel was elected national leader of the Austrian People's Party .
On [[May 4]], [[1995]], Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs in Franz Vranitzky's fourth government. He held the same posts in Chancellor Vranitzky’s fifth Cabinet. In Chancellor [[Viktor Klima]]'s (SPÖ) first government, from [[January 28]], [[1997]] to [[February 4]], [[2000]], Schüssel was again Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs.
==Chancellor of Austria==
===The Schüssel I government===
On [[February 4]], [[2000]] Wolfgang Schüssel was sworn in as Chancellor, following a defeat in the [[Austria legislative election, 1999|1999 election]], after which his party ended up in third place only. Until then, his party had been the junior partner in a coalition with the [[SPÖ]]. However, talks to renew that coalition failed, which induced Schüssel to enter a coalition with the [[FPÖ]]. He became Chancellor, even though his party was trailing behind its coalition partner by a few votes.
The government headed by Schüssel was - in its beginnings - probably the most controversial since [[1945]], which to a large extent is due to the [[coalition government|coalition]] formed with the far right-wing [[Austrian Freedom Party]] (FPÖ), whose leader at that time was [[Jörg Haider]]. Although Haider was never a member of Schüssel's government, his participation raised widespread criticism, both inside and outside of Austria.
[[Image:Donnerstagsdemo.jpg|thumb|250px|Anti-government protesters during a ''Donnerstagsdemonstration'' in front of the Austrian Parliament in Vienna]]
Between [[2000]] and [[2002]] there were weekly ''Donnerstagsdemonstrationen'' (Thursday Demonstrations) through the city and the inner districts of [[Vienna]]. The coalition with the [[Austrian Freedom Party]] and various policies aiming at achieving the much-maligned ''Nulldefizit'' (zero [[budget deficit]]) were the main points of criticism.
The heads the governments of the other 14 [[EU]] members decided to cease cooperation with the Austrian government, as it was felt in many countries that the ''cordon sanitaire'' against coalitions with parties considered as ''right-wing extremists'', which had mostly held in Western Europe since [[1945]], had been breached. For example, for several months, other national leaders refused to shake hands and socialize with members of the Schüssel government. In Austria, this approach was often described as ''sanctions''.
Government supporters often blamed the opposition [[SPÖ|social democrats]] and President [[Thomas Klestil]] for the so-called "sanctions" imposed by the EU14 and their loyalty to the country was thus put into question. Schüssel's government was the first after 30 years with a [[Chancellor of Austria|Chancellor]] who was not a representative of the [[Austrian Social Democratic Party]] (SPÖ). In the period from [[1945]] to [[2000]] the SPÖ was in the government for 51 years and led it for 30 years, which was claimed by government supporters to be the true reason for the demonstrations and for the so-called "sanctions".
Schüssel's [[ÖVP]] had however been a member of all governments from [[1945]] to [[1970]] and from [[1986]] onwards, and had never been completely excluded from power. The tradition of [[social partnership]] meant that representatives of all major interest groups in the country would be consulted before any policy was enacted. Since the ÖVP had always dominated the representations of farmers, businessmen and government employees, it had never been completely shut out from policymaking, also during the Kreisky era, even though its influence was considerably attenuated during that time. When Schüssel came into power, he broke with that tradition in order to be able to enact reforms that he felt to be necessary more quickly, which is probably also the reason for a lot of resentment towards him and his government.
On a diplomatic level the so-called "sanctions" carried on for months, both the Austrian government and the EU14 tried to seek a solution for the situation. Because the legal basis was [[international law]] (diplomatic retaliation on moderate level is allowed - the law cannot oblige people to be nice to each other and shake hands) and not the EU-Charter, EU-law did not provide a way out. Therefore after a couple of months a delegation of 3 experts (''die drei EU-Weisen'') was sent to Austria to examine the political situation and to determine if the EU14's so-called "sanctions" could be lifted. Their report did not find reasons that would permit the other EU-members according to then existing EU-law to engage in further measures going beyond those that are allowed in international law. However, the more important conclusion the report draw was that a system for exactly these kind of situations should be implemented and incorporated into EU-law. This subsequently happened with the amendments to the EU-treaties in [[Nice]] in 2001.
Following the report, the EU leaders subsequently abandonned the so-called "sanctions" and returned to normality during the summer of 2000, even though the coalition remained unchanged.
===The Schüssel II government===
By the summer of 2002, a series of lost elections had resulted in considerable internal strife in the FPÖ, which was instigated by Haider and some of his closest allies. When the leading proponents of the more pragmatic wing of this party, Vice Chancellor [[Susanne Riess-Passer]] and Finance Minister [[Karl-Heinz Grasser]], announced their resignation, Schüssel broke the coaltion and announced [[Austria legislative election, 2002|general elections, which were held prematurely in November 2002 and led to a landslide victory for Schüssel]]. However, after negotiating for months with both the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the [[Austrian Green Party|Green Party]], Schüssel decided to renew his coalition government with the Freedom Party, which had been reduced to a mere 10 percent of the vote.
On [[February 28]], [[2003]], after a landslide victory, he was sworn in as Chancellor again, this time with the confidence of having won the elections.
In April [[2005]], the FPÖ effectively split in two parties, namely the old FPÖ and the new [[Alliance for the Future of Austria]] (BZÖ), which consists of [[Jörg Haider]], the former FPÖ government members and most FPÖ members of the [[National Council of Austria]], while the party base in most [[States of Austria|states]] remains with the old party. In spite of this change in the nature of his coalition partner, Schüssel seems determined to continue the coalition, if possible, until the end of the current legislative period.
==Policies==
The government's attempts at achieving a balanced [[budget]] (called "Nulldefizit") — while being more successful than similar attempts in some other European countries — have failed. Some of the effect was reached by raising taxes and fees, but quite significant cost-cutting measures were undertaken, many of which caused significant criticism. For example, the Austrian education system has suffered considerably, as is shown by the [[PISA]] study released in [[2004]]. Costs are being cut at [[University|universities]], even though the government proclaims that it will bring teaching and research to a "world-class" level. Cost-cutting in the security sector is blamed for an increase in [[crime]].
At the same time, Schüssel's government increased public spending in certain areas. For example, the new "Kindergeld" (children money) to help families replaced the old "Karenzgeld", which was dependent on the recipient standing in employment. This change was a nod to a Freedom Party, which had campaigned for this measure.
The decision to replace the old [[Draken]] [[fighter plane]]s of the Bundesheer with 18 [[Eurofighter Typhoon|Eurofighter]]s
(originally 24 were ordered, this number was reduced after the 2002 floods) was seen as waste of money by the opposition, most of all because of the attempts to save money in almost every area of the public administration. The government's arguments for this was that the [[Austrian State Treaty]], according to which Austria needs to be able to defend herself, is to be read to imply that Austria must be in complete control of her air space. The opposition argued that this goal could have been reached in a much cheaper way.
Starting from around 2030, the unfavorable structure of the [[population pyramid]] will create a ratio of active to retired workers of 1:1. Schüssel's pension reform has led to reduction of future pensions and at the same time a raising of the [[retirement|retirement age]]. Schüssel's reform of the Austrian [[pension]] system is more broad-sweeping and thus more likely to be effective than all previous reforms in this area combined. However, experts insist that it should have been still more ambitious, but despite of this fact the SPÖ and the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) protested heavily and argued that the pension losses, limited by Schüssel to 10% and later reduced to 5%, were excessive.
Recent efforts to reform the military and to create a uniform pension system are proceeding. One result of the military reform is by many hoped to be a reduction of the [[mandatory military service]] to six months, or even an abolition of military service. From [[2005]] onwards, [[corporate tax]] will be reduced to 25%, which is hoped to stimulate investment and economic growth. The measure is thought to be necessary, as neighboring countries which recently entered the EU, such as [[Slovakia]], have even lower tax rates. However, critics sometimes argue that such a tax advantage for firms is unfair to other tax payers (the highest tax bracket for personal income tax is 50%) and may even be unconstitutional.
==President of the European Council==
Schüssel succeeded [[Tony Blair]] as European President on [[January 1]], 2006. In the presence of [[Germany|German]] Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], he promised to lead the European Union "Hand in Hand" with Germany, and Merkel promised that Germany would do everything to "help" Austria during its presidency and make it a success. Schüssel also stated that Austria needed "some friends of the presidency". This led to Brussels diplomats describing the Austrian presidency as "the small German presidency", according to French newspaper ''[[Le Figaro]]''.
==Wolfgang Schüssel's Private life==
Schüssel keeps a low profile as far as his private life is concerned. Married with two children, he lives in Vienna and says he prefers spending his vacations in [[Austria]]. He is fond of [[mountaineering]] in the [[Alps]] (he also co-authored a tour guide) and, a lover of [[music]], he plays several instruments including the piano.
==See also==
*[[Chancellor of Austria]] for a complete list of Chancellors since [[1918]]
==External link==
* {{en icon}} [http://www.austria.gv.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?alias=english&init Official site of the Chancellor's Office]
* {{de icon}} [http://www.austria.gv.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3331&Alias=bka Government Site of Chancellor Schüssel]
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| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:<br>'''[[Tony Blair]]'''
| width="40%" align="center" | '''[[President of the European Council]] (EU)'''<br>First-Half 2006
| width="30%" align="center" | '''Incumbent'''
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:<br>'''[[Viktor Klima]]'''
| width="40%" align="center" | '''[[Chancellors of Austria|Chancellor of Austria]]'''<br>2000–present
| width="30%" align="center" rowspan=2| '''Incumbent'''
|-
| width="30%" align="center" rowspan=2| Preceded by:<br>'''[[Erhard Busek]]'''
| width="40%" align="center" | '''[[ÖVP|ÖVP Party Chairman]]'''<br>1995–present
|-
| width="40%" align="center" | '''[[Vice Chancellors of Austria|Vice Chancellor of Austria]]'''<br>1995–2000
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Susanne Riess-Passer]]'''
|-
| width="30%" align="center" | Preceded by:<br>'''[[Alois Mock]]'''
| width="40%" align="center" | '''[[Austria|Foreign Minister of Austria]]'''<br>1995–2000
| width="30%" align="center" | Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Benita Ferrero-Waldner]]'''
|-
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