Sebastian Kurz

Sebastian Kurz
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 December 2013
Chancellor	Werner Faymann
Preceded by	Michael Spindelegger
Personal details
Born	27 August 1986 Vienna, Austria
Political party	Austrian People's Party

Sebastian Kurz (born 27 August 1986) is an Austrian politician, who has been Austria's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Integration since 2013.^[1] He is a member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP).

Early life and education

Kurz was born in Vienna and brought up in the city district of Meidling, where he still lives. He entered the Bundesgymnasium und Bundesrealgymnasium Erlgasse in 1996 and after his final exam in 2004 Kurz completed the obligatory military service. In 2011, he decided to suspend his law studies at the University of Vienna and to pursue his political career instead.^[2]

Political career

In 2009 Kurz was elected chairman of the youth branch of the Austrian People's Party. Between 2010 and 2011 he was member of Vienna's city council, where he focused on generational fairness and ensuring pensions.^[3] In April 2011 Kurz was appointed to the newly created post of State Secretary for Integration (part of the Ministry of the Interior).

In the 2013 general election, Kurz was elected as a member of parliament. He won the most direct votes of any member of parliament in the election.^[4]

Foreign Minister of Austria, 2013–present

In December 2013, Kurz became Austria's Foreign Minister, whose portfolio was at his request widened to include Social integration. At the time of his swearing-in Kurz was Austria's youngest government minister since the foundation of the republic and the youngest foreign minister in the European Union.

During his first year in office, Kurz chaired the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe until May 2014.^[5] In late 2014, he succeeded Radosław Sikorski as co-chair of the European People’s Party (EPP) Foreign Ministers Meeting, alongside Elmar Brok.^[6]

As part of the Humanitarian Initiative, Kurz hosted the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in late 2014.^[7] Following his proposal, Vienna later hosted the negotiations leading to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for the nuclear program of Iran in 2015.

Other activities

• Austrian Development Agency, Chairman of the Advisory Council on Development Policy^[8]
• Austrian Society for China Studies (ÖGCF), Member of the Board of Trustees
• General Settlement Fund for Victims of National Socialism, Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Trustees^[9]
• Political Academy of the Austrian People's Party, President (since 2015)
• European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Member

References

1. "Austria swears in EU's youngest foreign minister Sebastian Kurz". BBC News. 16 December 2013.
2. New(ish) faces at the FAC European Voice, January 21, 2014.
3. Michael Shields (December 17, 2013), Kurz, 27, puts fresh face on Austrian foreign policy Reuters.
4. Michael Shields (December 17, 2013), Kurz, 27, puts fresh face on Austrian foreign policy Reuters.
5. “The Council of Europe appeal to Russia to engage dialogue with Ukraine should be heard", says Austrian Foreign Minister Kurz Council of Europe, press release of 7 April 2014.
6. Austrian Minister Sebastian Kurz appointed to lead EPP Foreign Affairs Ministerial Meeting together with Elmar Brok, Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee in the EP European People’s Party, press release of 17 November 2014.
7. Fredrik Dahl (December 8, 2014), U.S., UK face nuclear disarmament pressure at Vienna meeting Reuters.
8. New-constitution of Advisory Council on Development Policy: Make development cooperation a concern of the broad public Austrian Development Agency, press release of 18 February 2015.
9. Board of Trustees General Settlement Fund for Victims of National Socialism.

External links

• Personal Website