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{{Short description|President of Austria from 2004 to 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Short description|Austrian politician, President of Austria}}{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Heinz Fischer
| name = Heinz Fischer
| image = Heinz Fischer - Buchmesse Wien 2018.JPG
| caption = Fischer in 2018
| image = Heinz Fischer - Buchmesse Wien 2018.JPG
| caption = Fischer in 2018
| office = [[President of Austria]]
| chancellor = {{ubl | [[Wolfgang Schüssel]] | [[Alfred Gusenbauer]] | [[Werner Faymann]] | [[Christian Kern]] }}
| office = [[President of Austria]]
| chancellor = {{ubl | [[Wolfgang Schüssel]] | [[Alfred Gusenbauer]] | [[Werner Faymann]] | [[Christian Kern]] }}
| 1blankname = <!-- {{nowrap|[[Vice-Chancellor of Austria|Vice Chancellor]]}}
| 1blankname = <!-- {{nowrap|[[Vice-Chancellor of Austria|Vice Chancellor]]}}
| 1namedata = [[Hubert Gorbach]] <br /> [[Wilhelm Molterer]] <br /> [[Josef Pröll]] <br /> [[Michael Spindelegger]] <br /> [[Reinhold Mitterlehner]] -->
| 1namedata = [[Hubert Gorbach]] <br /> [[Wilhelm Molterer]] <br /> [[Josef Pröll]] <br /> [[Michael Spindelegger]] <br /> [[Reinhold Mitterlehner]] -->
| term_start = 8 July 2004
| term_start = 8 July 2004
| term_end = 8 July 2016
| term_end = 8 July 2016
| predecessor = [[Thomas Klestil]]
| predecessor = [[Thomas Klestil]]
| successor = [[Alexander Van der Bellen]]
| successor = [[Alexander Van der Bellen]]
| office1 = [[Second President of the National Council (Austria)|Second President of the National Council]]
| office1 = [[Second President of the National Council (Austria)|Second President of the National Council]]
| term_start1 = 20 December 2002
| term_start1 = 20 December 2002
| term_end1 = 16 June 2004
| term_end1 = 16 June 2004
| predecessor1 = [[Thomas Prinzhorn]]
| predecessor1 = [[Thomas Prinzhorn]]
| successor1 = [[Barbara Prammer]]
| successor1 = [[Barbara Prammer]]
| office2 = [[President of the National Council (Austria)|President of the National Council]]
| office2 = [[President of the National Council (Austria)|President of the National Council]]
| term_start2 = 5 November 1990
| term_start2 = 5 November 1990
| term_end2 = 20 December 2002
| term_end2 = 20 December 2002
| predecessor2 = [[Rudolf Pöder]]
| predecessor2 = [[Rudolf Pöder]]
| successor2 = [[Andreas Khol]]
| successor2 = [[Andreas Khol]]
| office3 = Minister of Science and Research
| office3 = Minister of Science and Research
| term_start3 = 24 May 1983
| term_start3 = 24 May 1983
| term_end3 = 21 January 1987
| term_end3 = 21 January 1987
| chancellor3 = {{ubl | [[Fred Sinowatz]] | [[Franz Vranitzky]] }}
| chancellor3 = {{ubl | [[Fred Sinowatz]] | [[Franz Vranitzky]] }}
| predecessor3 = [[Hertha Firnberg]]
| predecessor3 = [[Hertha Firnberg]]
| successor3 = [[Hans Tuppy]]
| successor3 = [[Hans Tuppy]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|10|9|df=y}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|10|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Graz]], [[Reichsgau Steiermark]], [[Austria under National Socialism|State of Austria]], [[Nazi Germany]] (now Graz, [[Styria]], [[Austria]])
| birth_place = [[Graz]], [[Reichsgau Steiermark]], [[Austria under National Socialism|State of Austria]], [[Nazi Germany|German Reich]]<br>(now Graz, [[Styria]], [[Austria]])
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] (2004–present)
| party = [[Social Democratic Party of Austria|Social Democratic Party]] {{small|(before 2004-2016; 2016-present)}}
| otherparty = [[Independent politician|Independent]] {{small|(2004-16)}}
| otherparty = [[Social Democratic Party of Austria|Social Democratic Party]]<br>(until 2004)
| spouse = [[Margit Fischer|Margit Binder]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Margit Fischer|Margit Binder]]|1968}}
| children = 2
| children = 2
| alma_mater = [[University of Vienna]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Vienna]] ([[PhD]])
| awards = [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] <br /> [[Order of Prince Henry]] <br /> [[Royal Order of the Seraphim]] <br /> [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword]]
| awards = [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] <br /> [[Order of Prince Henry]] <br /> [[Royal Order of the Seraphim]] <br /> [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword]]
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of Prince Henry | GColIH]] [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|OMRI]] [[Royal Order of the Seraphim|RSerafO]] [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword|GCollSE]]
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of Prince Henry|GColIH]], [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|OMRI]], [[Royal Order of the Seraphim|RSerafO]], [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword|GCollSE]]
| allegiance = {{flag|Austria}}
| branch = {{flagicon image|Roundel_of_Austria.svg|50px|Emblem of Austrian Armed Forces}} ''[[Austrian Armed Forces]]''
| serviceyears = 1958
| unit = ''Heerestelegrafenbataillon'' Army Signal Corps
}}
}}
'''Heinz Fischer''' [[Order of Prince Henry| GColIH]] [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|OMRI]] [[Royal Order of the Seraphim|RSerafO]] [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword|GCollSE]] ({{IPA-de|haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ|-|De-at Heinz Fischer.ogg}}; born 9 October 1938 in [[Graz]], [[Styria]]) is a former [[Austria]]n [[politician]]. He took office as [[President of Austria]] on 8 July 2004 and was re-elected for a second and last term on 25 April 2010, leaving office on 8 July 2016. Fischer previously served as minister of science from 1983 to 1987 and as president of the [[National Council of Austria]] from 1990 to 2002. A member of the [[Social Democratic Party of Austria]] (SPÖ), he suspended his party membership for the duration of his presidency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wienerzeitung.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4975&Alias=WZO&cob=483224|title=Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich|first=Wiener Zeitung|last=Online|website=Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.br-online.de/bayerisches-fernsehen/rundschau/oesterreich-praesidentenwahl-wahl-ID1272184893984.xml?_requestid=14 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729092050/http://www.br-online.de/bayerisches-fernsehen/rundschau/oesterreich-praesidentenwahl-wahl-ID1272184893984.xml?_requestid=14 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2012 |title=Neuer alter Präsident |publisher=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |date=25 April 2010 |access-date=13 November 2010 }}</ref>
'''Heinz''' '''Fischer''' [[Order of Prince Henry|GColIH]], [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic|OMRI]], [[Order of the Seraphim|RSerafO]], [[Military Order of Saint James of the Sword|GCollSE]] ({{IPA|de|haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ|-|De-at Heinz Fischer.ogg}}; born 9 October 1938) is an Austrian [[politician]] who served as the [[president of Austria]] from 2004 to 2016. Fischer previously served as minister of science from 1983 to 1987 and as president of the [[National Council (Austria)|National Council of Austria]] from 1990 to 2002.<ref name="parlamentat">{{cite web |title=Präsidentinnen und Präsidenten seit 1920 {{!}} Parlament Österreich |url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/WWER/NR/PRAES/ |website=www.parlament.gv.at}}</ref> A member of the [[Social Democratic Party of Austria]] (SPÖ) until 2004, he suspended his party membership as he became president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wienerzeitung.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4975&Alias=WZO&cob=483224|title=Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich|first=Wiener Zeitung|last=Online|website=Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.br-online.de/bayerisches-fernsehen/rundschau/oesterreich-praesidentenwahl-wahl-ID1272184893984.xml?_requestid=14 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729092050/http://www.br-online.de/bayerisches-fernsehen/rundschau/oesterreich-praesidentenwahl-wahl-ID1272184893984.xml?_requestid=14 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 July 2012 |title=Neuer alter Präsident |publisher=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |date=25 April 2010 |access-date=13 November 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Christian Böhmer |author2=Michael Hammerl |title=Warum Heinz Fischer Rendi-Wagner unterstützt - aber nicht für sie abstimmt (Why Heinz Fischer supports Rendi-Wagner - but doesn't vote for her) |url=https://kurier.at/politik/inland/warum-heinz-fischer-nicht-fuer-rendi-wagner-abstimmen-kann/402423830 |website=kurier.at |publisher=k-digital Medien GmbH & Co KG |access-date=4 June 2023 |location=Wien |language=German |date=25 April 2023}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Fischer was born in [[Graz]], [[Styria]], which had recently become part of [[Nazi Germany]], following [[Anschluss|Germany’s annexation of Austria]] in March 1938. Fischer attended a grammar school which focused on humanities and graduated in 1956. He studied law at the [[University of Vienna]], earning a [[doctorate]] in 1961. In 1963, at the age of 25, Fischer spent a year [[Kibbutz volunteer|volunteering]] at [[Kibbutz]] [[Sarid]], northern [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1228728209850&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull|title=Austrian president vows to bring up Schalit case with Assad – Middle East}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a [[professor]] of [[political science|Political Science]] at the [[University of Innsbruck]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|title=External lecturers|url=https://www.uibk.ac.at/politikwissenschaft/team/externe-lehrende/|publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Innsbruck|access-date=28 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016070405/https://www.uibk.ac.at/politikwissenschaft/team/externe-lehrende/|archive-date=16 October 2017}}</ref>
Fischer was born to a Jewish family in [[Graz]], [[Styria]], which had recently become part of [[Nazi Germany]], following [[Anschluss|Germany's annexation of Austria]] in March 1938. Fischer attended a grammar school which focused on humanities and graduated in 1956. He studied law at the [[University of Vienna]], earning a [[doctorate]] in 1961. In 1963, at the age of 25, Fischer spent a year [[Kibbutz volunteer|volunteering]] at [[Kibbutz]] [[Sarid]], northern [[Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1228728209850&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull|title=Austrian president vows to bring up Schalit case with Assad – Middle East}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a professor of [[political science|Political Science]] at the [[University of Innsbruck]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|title=External lecturers|url=https://www.uibk.ac.at/politikwissenschaft/team/externe-lehrende/|publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Innsbruck|access-date=28 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016070405/https://www.uibk.ac.at/politikwissenschaft/team/externe-lehrende/|archive-date=16 October 2017}}</ref>


==Political career==
==Political career==
[[File:Austrian federal president's re-election party, Vienna 20100425.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Re-election party, 2010-04-25.]]
[[File:Austrian federal president's re-election party, Vienna 20100425.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Re-election party in 2010]]
Fischer was a member of the Austrian parliament, the [[National Council of Austria|National Council]], from 1971, and served as its [[List of Presidents of the National Council of Austria|president]] from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was minister of science in a coalition government headed by [[Fred Sinowatz]].
Fischer was a member of the Austrian parliament, the [[National Council of Austria|National Council]], from 1971, and served as its [[List of Presidents of the National Council of Austria|president]] from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was minister of science in a coalition government headed by [[Fred Sinowatz]].


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Fischer was sworn in on 8 July 2004 and took over office from the college of presidents of the National Council, who had acted for the president following Klestil's death on 6 July.
Fischer was sworn in on 8 July 2004 and took over office from the college of presidents of the National Council, who had acted for the president following Klestil's death on 6 July.


===Second term as president===
Fischer's critics, foremost among them [[Norbert Leser]], his university colleague, have derided him as a career politician ''(Berufspolitiker)'' who has never been in touch with the real world. They claim that Fischer has always avoided controversy and conflict, even when that seemed required, pointing to Fischer's tacit support for [[Bruno Kreisky]] in his attacks on [[Simon Wiesenthal]]. On being nominated for president, Fischer said that he hated antagonising people and that he considered this quality an asset rather than anything else.
[[File:Yukio Hatoyama and Heinz Fischer at the Japanese Kantei in 2009 (1).jpg|thumb|Fischer with Japanese prime minister [[Yukio Hatoyama]] in Tokyo on 30 September 2009]]
[[File:Kirchner&Fischer.png|thumb|Fischer with Argentine president [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]] in the [[Casa Rosada|Pink House]].]]
[[File:Fischer Ostermayer Klug f3 Michelides.jpg|thumb|With ministers [[Josef Ostermayer|Ostermayer]] and [[Gerald Klug|Klug]] at the opening of the [[Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice]] on the [[Ballhausplatz]]]]
[[File:Ali Khamenei receives Heinz Fischer in his house (3).jpg|thumb|Fischer with Iranian supreme leader [[Ali Khamenei]] in Tehran on 8 September 2015]]
In April 2010, Fischer was [[2010 Austrian presidential election|re-elected president of Austria]], winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes. The [[voter turnout]] of merely 53.6% was a record low.<ref name="Austria president sweeps to victory">{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/04/2010425175334560120.html|title=Austria president sweeps to victory|date=25 April 2010|access-date=25 April 2010|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]]}}</ref> Around a third of those eligible to vote voted for Fischer, leading the conservative daily ''[[Die Presse]]'' to describe the election as an "absolute majority for non-voters".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=357759&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21 |title= Gulf Times- Qatar's top-selling English daily newspaper - Homepage|website=www.gulf-times.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602075455/http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=357759&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21 |archive-date=2 June 2010}}</ref> The reasons behind the low turnout may have been that pollsters had predicted a safe victory for Fischer (past Austrian presidents running for a second term had always won) and that the other large party, [[Austrian People's Party|ÖVP]], had not nominated a candidate of their own, and had not endorsed any of the three candidates. Prominent ÖVP members, unofficially but in public, even suggested to cast a blank vote, which 7% of the voters did.


=== Post-presidency ===
===Second term as president===
In 2017, he and former UN secretary-general [[Ban Ki-moon|Ban-Ki Moon]] co-founded the [[Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens]], an international non-governmental organization to advance the [[Sustainable Development Goals]], headquartered in Vienna.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bundespräsident |date=2022-09-08 |title="Internationale Zusammenarbeit ist angesichts der aktuellen Herausforderungen wichtiger denn je!" |url=https://www.bundespraesident.at/aktuelles/detail/internationale-zusammenarbeit-ist-angesichts-der-aktuellen-herausforderungen-wichtiger-denn-je |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=www.bundespraesident.at |language=de-DE}}</ref>
[[File:Kirchner&Fischer.png|thumb|Fischer with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the [[Casa Rosada|Pink House]].]]
[[File:Fischer Ostermayer Klug f3 Michelides.jpg|thumb|With ministers [[Josef Ostermayer|Ostermayer]] and [[Gerald Klug|Klug]] at the opening of the [[Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice]] on the [[Ballhausplatz]]]]
In April 2010, Fischer was [[2010 Austrian presidential election|re-elected president of Austria]], winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes. The [[voter turnout]] of merely 53.6% was a record low.<ref name="Austria president sweeps to victory">{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/04/2010425175334560120.html|title=Austria president sweeps to victory|date=25 April 2010|access-date=25 April 2010|publisher=[[Al Jazeera]]}}</ref> Around a third of those eligible to vote voted for Fischer, leading the conservative daily ''[[Die Presse]]'' to describe the election as an "absolute majority for non-voters".<ref>http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=357759&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602075455/http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=357759&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21 |date=2 June 2010 }}</ref> The reasons behind the low turnout may have been that pollsters had predicted a safe victory for Fischer (past Austrian presidents running for a second term had always won) and that the other large party, [[ÖVP]], had not nominated a candidate of their own, and had not endorsed any of the three candidates. Prominent ÖVP members, unofficially but in public, even suggested to cast a blank vote, which 7% of the voters did.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
[[File:The President of Austria, Heinz Fischer is welcomed to ESO’s premises in Santiago.jpg|thumb|Heinz Fischer is welcomed to [[ESO]]’s premises in Santiago.<ref>{{cite news|title=President of Austria Visits ESO in Santiago|url=http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann12097/|access-date=8 December 2012|newspaper=ESO Announcements}}</ref> ]][[File:Coat of Arms of Heinz Fischer (Order of the Seraphim).svg|thumb|Arms as knight of the [[Royal Order of the Seraphim|Seraphim]]]]
[[File:The President of Austria, Heinz Fischer is welcomed to ESO’s premises in Santiago.jpg|thumb|Heinz Fischer is welcomed to [[European Southern Observatory|ESO]]'s premises in Santiago.<ref>{{cite news|title=President of Austria Visits ESO in Santiago|url=http://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann12097/|access-date=8 December 2012|newspaper=ESO Announcements}}</ref> ]] [[File:Coat of Arms of Heinz Fischer (Order of the Seraphim).svg|thumb|Arms as knight of the [[Royal Order of the Seraphim|Seraphim]]]]
Fischer identifies himself as [[agnosticism|agnostic]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundespraesident.at/newsdetail/artikel/es-kann-auch-das-standesamt-sein-profil/|title=Bundespräsident.at: "Es kann auch das Standesamt sein" profil|website=www.bundespraesident.at|access-date=12 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710071319/http://www.bundespraesident.at/newsdetail/artikel/es-kann-auch-das-standesamt-sein-profil/|archive-date=10 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> and as a [[Social democracy|social democrat]]. Heinz Fischer and [[Margit Fischer|Margit Binder]] married in 1968. The couple have two grown children.
Fischer identifies himself as [[agnosticism|agnostic]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundespraesident.at/newsdetail/artikel/es-kann-auch-das-standesamt-sein-profil/|title=Bundespräsident.at: "Es kann auch das Standesamt sein" profil|website=www.bundespraesident.at|access-date=12 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710071319/http://www.bundespraesident.at/newsdetail/artikel/es-kann-auch-das-standesamt-sein-profil/|archive-date=10 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> and as a [[Social democracy|social democrat]]. He and [[Margit Fischer|Margit Binder]] married in 1968. The couple have two grown children.


Despite being members of opposing parties, Fischer was close friends with former ÖVP politician [[Sixtus Lanner]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 July 2022 |title=Former ÖVP General Secretary Sixtus Lanner died at the age of 88 |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000137435846/frueherer-oevp-generalsekretaer-sixtus-lanner-88-jaehrig-verstorben |access-date=19 July 2022 |website=[[Der Standard]] |language=de-AT}}</ref>
Fischer enjoys [[mountaineering]] and has been president of the Austrian [[Friends of Nature]] for many years.

He enjoys [[mountaineering]] and has been president of the Austrian [[Friends of Nature]] for many years.


==Honours and awards==
==Honours and awards==
=== National honours ===
==== Federal order ====
* 2004: [[File:AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 1st Class BAR.svg|60px]] Grand Star of Honour of the [[Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria|Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]] (Austria)


=== National Honours ===
==== State honours ====
* 2008: Ring of Honour of the [[Styria|Province of Styria]]

* 2008: Freedom of the City of [[Graz]]
==== Federal Order ====

* 2004 [[File:AUT Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria - 1st Class BAR.png|60px]] Grand Star of Honour of the [[Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]] ([[Austria]])

==== State Honours ====

* 2008 Ring of Honour of the [[Styria|Province of Styria]]
* 2008 Freedom of the City of [[Graz]]


==== Awards ====
==== Awards ====
* 2009: Florianiplakette of the Austrian Federal Fire Association in gold


=== Foreign honours ===
* 2009 Florianiplakette of the Austrian Federal Fire Association in gold
==== Foreign orders ====
* 1993: [[File:Cordone di gran Croce OMRI BAR.svg|60px]] Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] ([[Italy]])
* 2005: [[File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Collar BAR.svg|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of Prince Henry]] ([[Portugal]])<ref name="Portuguese President's website">[http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1 Portuguese President's website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117004213/http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1 |date=17 January 2013 }}</ref>
* 2005: [[File:ESP Isabella Catholic Order GC.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of Isabella the Catholic]] ([[Spain]])
* 2006: [[File:FIN Order of the White Rose Grand Cross BAR.png|60px]] Grand Cross of the Order of the [[Order of the White Rose of Finland]] ([[Finland]])
* 2006: [[File:HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civ) 1class Collar BAR.svg|60px]] Grand Cross with Collar of the [[Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary]] ([[Hungary]])
* 2006: [[File:OPMM-co.svg|60px]] Collar of the [[Order pro merito Melitensi|Order ''pro merito Melitensi'']] ([[Sovereign Military Order of Malta]])
* 2007: [[File:ITA OMRI 2001 GC-GCord BAR.svg|60px]] Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
* 2007: [[File:Order Sint Olaf 1 kl.png|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of St. Olav|Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav]] ([[Norway]])
* 2007: [[File:Seraphimerorden ribbon.svg|60px]] Knight of the [[Royal Order of the Seraphim]] ([[Sweden]])
* 2009: [[File:LTU Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Chain BAR.svg|60px]] Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the [[Order of Vytautas the Great]] ([[Lithuania]])<ref>[http://www.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256/p40.html Lithuanian Presidency] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419212238/http://www.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256/p40.html |date=19 April 2014 }}, Lithuanian Orders searching form</ref>
* 2009: [[File:PRT Order of Saint James of the Sword - Grand Collar BAR.png|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of Saint James of the Sword]] (Portugal)<ref name="Portuguese President's website" />
* 2009: [[File:CZE Rad Bileho Lva 1 tridy BAR.svg|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of the White Lion]] ([[Czech Republic]])
* 2012: [[File:CHL_Order_of_Merit_GC_and_Collar.svg|60px]] Collar of the [[Order of Merit (Chile)|Order of Merit]] ([[Chile]])
* 2013: [[File:Legion Honneur GC ribbon.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Legion of Honour]] ([[France]])
* 2013: [[File:Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau Ribbon.gif|60px]] Knight of the [[Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau]] ([[Luxembourg]])<ref>{{cite web | url = http://royautes.ek.la/henri-et-maria-teresa-en-autriche-a83173534 | title = L'actualité des royautés, "Henri et Maria Teresa en Autriche" | language = fr | access-date = 2 July 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131017094714/http://royautes.ek.la/henri-et-maria-teresa-en-autriche-a83173534 | archive-date = 17 October 2013 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>
* 2014: [[File:ALB National Flag Order.png|60px]] [[National Flag Order]] ([[Albania]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://president.al/?p=17934|title=Website Zyrtar|first=Presidenti i|last=Republikes|website=president.al|access-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807202427/http://president.al/?p=17934|archive-date=7 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2015: [[File:BOL Order of Condor of the Andes - Grand Cross BAR.png|60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of the Condor of the Andes]] ([[Bolivia]])
* 2016: [[File:BUL Order Stara planina ribbon.svg|60px]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria#Orders 4|Order of the Balkan Mountains]] ([[Bulgaria]])


=== Foreign Honours ===
==== Foreign awards ====
* 2008: Honorary Doctorate of Law Faculty of the [[University of Tel Aviv]]

* 2009: Honorary Doctorate from the [[Ukrainian Academy of Sciences]]
==== Foreign Orders ====

*1993 [[File:Cordone di gran Croce OMRI BAR.svg|60px]] Knight Grand Cross of the [[Order of Merit of the Italian Republic]] ([[Italy]])
* 2005 [[File:PRT Order of Prince Henry - Grand Collar BAR.png|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of Prince Henry]] ([[Portugal]])<ref name="Portuguese President's website">[http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1 Portuguese President's website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117004213/http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154&list=1 |date=17 January 2013 }}</ref>
* 2005 [[File:ESP Isabella Catholic Order GC.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of Isabella the Catholic]] ([[Spain]])
* 2006 [[File:FIN Order of the White Rose Grand Cross BAR.png|60px]] Grand Cross of the Order of the [[Order of the White Rose of Finland]] ([[Finland]])
* 2006 [[File:HUN Order of Merit of the Hungarian Rep (civ) 1class Collar BAR.svg|60px]] Grand Cross with Collar of the [[Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary]] ([[Hungary]])
* 2006 [[File:OPMM-co.svg|60px]] Collar of the [[Order pro merito Melitensi|Order ''pro merito Melitensi'']] ([[Sovereign Military Order of Malta]])
* 2007 [[File:ITA OMRI 2001 GC-GCord BAR.svg|60px]] Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy)
* 2007 [[File:Order Sint Olaf 1 kl.png|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Order of St. Olav|Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav]] ([[Norway]])
* 2007 [[File:Seraphimerorden ribbon.svg|60px]] Knight of the [[Royal Order of the Seraphim]] ([[Sweden]])
* 2009 [[File:LTU Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Chain BAR.png|60px]] Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the [[Order of Vytautas the Great]] ([[Lithuania]])<ref>[http://www.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256/p40.html Lithuanian Presidency] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419212238/http://www.lrp.lt/lt/prezidento_veikla/apdovanojimai/apdovanojimai_256/p40.html |date=19 April 2014 }}, Lithuanian Orders searching form</ref>
* 2009 [[File:PRT Order of Saint James of the Sword - Grand Collar BAR.png|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of Saint James of the Sword]] (Portugal)<ref name="Portuguese President's website" />
* 2009 [[File:CZE Rad Bileho Lva 1 tridy BAR.svg|60x60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of the White Lion]] ([[Czech Republic]])
* 2012 [[File:CHL_Order_of_Merit_GC_and_Collar.svg|60px]] Collar of the [[Order of Merit (Chile)|Order of Merit]] ([[Chile]])
* 2013 [[File:Legion Honneur GC ribbon.svg|60px]] Grand Cross of the [[Legion of Honour]] ([[France]])
* 2013 [[File:Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau Ribbon.gif|60px]] Knight of the [[Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau]] ([[Luxembourg]])<ref>{{cite web | url = http://royautes.ek.la/henri-et-maria-teresa-en-autriche-a83173534 | title = L'actualité des royautés, "Henri et Maria Teresa en Autriche" | language = fr | access-date = 2 July 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131017094714/http://royautes.ek.la/henri-et-maria-teresa-en-autriche-a83173534 | archive-date = 17 October 2013 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>
* 2014 [[File:ALB National Flag Order.png|60px]] [[National Flag Order]] ([[Albania]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://president.al/?p=17934|title=Website Zyrtar|first=Presidenti i|last=Republikes|website=president.al|access-date=3 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807202427/http://president.al/?p=17934|archive-date=7 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2015 [[File:BOL Order of Condor of the Andes - Grand Cross BAR.png|60px]] Grand Collar of the [[Order of the Condor of the Andes]] ([[Bolivia]])
* 2016 [[File:Order Stara planina ribbon.gif|60px]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria#Orders 4|Order of the Balkan Mountains]] ([[Bulgaria]])

==== Foreign Awards ====

* 2008 Honorary Doctorate of Law Faculty of the [[University of Tel Aviv]]
* 2009 Honorary Doctorate from the [[Ukrainian Academy of Sciences]]


==See also==
==See also==
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web | title=Rede: Zum 85. Geburtstag des österreichischen Bundespräsidenten a. D. Heinz Fischer | website=[[Der Bundespräsident]] | url=https://www.bundespraesident.de/SharedDocs/Reden/DE/Frank-Walter-Steinmeier/Reden/2023/10/231005-Videobotschaft-Heinz-Fischer.html | language=de | access-date=5 October 2023}}


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[[Category:Collars of the Order of the White Lion]]
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[[Category:Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur]]
[[Category:Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil)]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil)]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great]]

Revision as of 05:12, 28 September 2024

Heinz Fischer
GColIH, OMRI, RSerafO, GCollSE
Fischer in 2018
President of Austria
In office
8 July 2004 – 8 July 2016
Chancellor
Preceded byThomas Klestil
Succeeded byAlexander Van der Bellen
Second President of the National Council
In office
20 December 2002 – 16 June 2004
Preceded byThomas Prinzhorn
Succeeded byBarbara Prammer
President of the National Council
In office
5 November 1990 – 20 December 2002
Preceded byRudolf Pöder
Succeeded byAndreas Khol
Minister of Science and Research
In office
24 May 1983 – 21 January 1987
Chancellor
Preceded byHertha Firnberg
Succeeded byHans Tuppy
Personal details
Born (1938-10-09) 9 October 1938 (age 86)
Graz, Reichsgau Steiermark, State of Austria, German Reich
(now Graz, Styria, Austria)
Political partyIndependent (2004–present)
Other political
affiliations		Social Democratic Party
(until 2004)
Spouse
​
(m. 1968)​
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Vienna (PhD)
AwardsOrder of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Prince Henry
Royal Order of the Seraphim
Military Order of Saint James of the Sword
Military service
Allegiance Austria
Branch/service Austrian Armed Forces
Years of service1958
UnitHeerestelegrafenbataillon Army Signal Corps

Heinz Fischer GColIH, OMRI, RSerafO, GCollSE (German pronunciation: [haɪnts ˈfɪʃɐ] ⓘ; born 9 October 1938) is an Austrian politician who served as the president of Austria from 2004 to 2016. Fischer previously served as minister of science from 1983 to 1987 and as president of the National Council of Austria from 1990 to 2002.[1] A member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) until 2004, he suspended his party membership as he became president.[2][3][4]

Early life

Fischer was born to a Jewish family in Graz, Styria, which had recently become part of Nazi Germany, following Germany's annexation of Austria in March 1938. Fischer attended a grammar school which focused on humanities and graduated in 1956. He studied law at the University of Vienna, earning a doctorate in 1961. In 1963, at the age of 25, Fischer spent a year volunteering at Kibbutz Sarid, northern Israel.[5] Apart from being a politician, Fischer also pursued an academic career, and became a professor of Political Science at the University of Innsbruck in 1994.[6]

Political career

Re-election party in 2010

Fischer was a member of the Austrian parliament, the National Council, from 1971, and served as its president from 1990 to 2002. From 1983 to 1987 he was minister of science in a coalition government headed by Fred Sinowatz.

First term as president

In January 2004 Fischer announced that he would run for president to succeed Thomas Klestil. He was elected on 25 April 2004 as the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party. He polled 52.4 per cent of the votes to defeat Benita Ferrero-Waldner, then foreign minister in the ruling conservative coalition led by the People's Party.

Fischer was sworn in on 8 July 2004 and took over office from the college of presidents of the National Council, who had acted for the president following Klestil's death on 6 July.

Second term as president

Fischer with Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama in Tokyo on 30 September 2009
Fischer with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the Pink House.
With ministers Ostermayer and Klug at the opening of the Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice on the Ballhausplatz
Fischer with Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on 8 September 2015

In April 2010, Fischer was re-elected president of Austria, winning a second six-year term in office with almost 79% of the votes. The voter turnout of merely 53.6% was a record low.[7] Around a third of those eligible to vote voted for Fischer, leading the conservative daily Die Presse to describe the election as an "absolute majority for non-voters".[8] The reasons behind the low turnout may have been that pollsters had predicted a safe victory for Fischer (past Austrian presidents running for a second term had always won) and that the other large party, ÖVP, had not nominated a candidate of their own, and had not endorsed any of the three candidates. Prominent ÖVP members, unofficially but in public, even suggested to cast a blank vote, which 7% of the voters did.

Post-presidency

In 2017, he and former UN secretary-general Ban-Ki Moon co-founded the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens, an international non-governmental organization to advance the Sustainable Development Goals, headquartered in Vienna.[9]

Personal life

Heinz Fischer is welcomed to ESO's premises in Santiago.[10]
Arms as knight of the Seraphim

Fischer identifies himself as agnostic[11] and as a social democrat. He and Margit Binder married in 1968. The couple have two grown children.

Despite being members of opposing parties, Fischer was close friends with former ÖVP politician Sixtus Lanner.[12]

He enjoys mountaineering and has been president of the Austrian Friends of Nature for many years.

Honours and awards

National honours

Federal order

State honours

Awards

  • 2009: Florianiplakette of the Austrian Federal Fire Association in gold

Foreign honours

Foreign orders

Foreign awards

See also

References

  1. ^ "Präsidentinnen und Präsidenten seit 1920 | Parlament Österreich". www.parlament.gv.at.
  2. ^ Online, Wiener Zeitung. "Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich". Wiener Zeitung Online – Tageszeitung für Österreich.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Neuer alter Präsident". Bayerischer Rundfunk. 25 April 2010. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  4. ^ Christian Böhmer; Michael Hammerl (25 April 2023). "Warum Heinz Fischer Rendi-Wagner unterstützt - aber nicht für sie abstimmt (Why Heinz Fischer supports Rendi-Wagner - but doesn't vote for her)". kurier.at (in German). Wien: k-digital Medien GmbH & Co KG. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Austrian president vows to bring up Schalit case with Assad – Middle East".[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "External lecturers". Department of Political Science, University of Innsbruck. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Austria president sweeps to victory". Al Jazeera. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  8. ^ "Gulf Times- Qatar's top-selling English daily newspaper - Homepage". www.gulf-times.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2010.
  9. ^ Bundespräsident (8 September 2022). ""Internationale Zusammenarbeit ist angesichts der aktuellen Herausforderungen wichtiger denn je!"". www.bundespraesident.at (in German). Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  10. ^ "President of Austria Visits ESO in Santiago". ESO Announcements. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Bundespräsident.at: "Es kann auch das Standesamt sein" profil". www.bundespraesident.at. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Former ÖVP General Secretary Sixtus Lanner died at the age of 88". Der Standard (in Austrian German). 14 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  13. ^ a b Portuguese President's website Archived 17 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Lithuanian Presidency Archived 19 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Lithuanian Orders searching form
  15. ^ "L'actualité des royautés, "Henri et Maria Teresa en Autriche"" (in French). Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  16. ^ Republikes, Presidenti i. "Website Zyrtar". president.al. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.

Further reading

Political offices
Preceded by President of the National Council
1990–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Austria
2004–2016 		Succeeded by
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