Vice-Chancellor of Austria
PostVice-Chancellor of the Republic of Austria
Native nameVizekanzler der Republik Österreich
InsigniaAustria Bundesadler.svg
Insigniasize100
InsigniacaptionCoat of arms of Austria
IncumbentAndreas Babler
Incumbentsince3 March 2025
StyleMr Vice-Chancellor
(informal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
DepartmentExecutive branch of the Government of Austria
Member ofCabinet
SeatVienna
NominatorChancellor of Austria
AppointerPresident of Austria
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Austria
Formation15 March 1919 (age 107)
FirstJodok Fink
Websitewww.bmoeds.gv.at

The vice-chancellor of Austria is a member of the Government of Austria and is the deputy to the Chancellor. It is functionally equivalent to a deputy prime minister in other countries with parliamentary systems.

The current vice-chancellor is Andreas Babler of the Social Democratic Party, since 3 March 2025.[1]

Description of the office

Art. 69(2) of the Constitution of Austria states:

The Vice-Chancellor stands in for the Federal Chancellor in his complete field of functions. If both Federal Chancellor and Vice Chancellor are hindered, the Federal President appoints a member of the government to represent the Federal Chancellor.

In practice, the Vice-Chancellor is normally the leading member of the junior party within the current coalition government, frequently the party chairman. If only one party is represented in the government, the Vice Chancellor is often the Chancellor's presumed successor.

List of officeholders (1919–present)

Vice-chancellors of Austria during the Interwar period

See also: Republic of German-Austria, First Austrian Republic and Federal State of Austria

Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 (see Austria within Nazi Germany for details). Independence was restored in 1945.

Vice-chancellors of Austria after the end of World War II

Vice-ChancellorPartyTook officeLeft officeDurationChancellor(s)
Johann Koplenig
(1891–1968)		KPÖ27 April 194520 December 1945Renner (SPÖ)
Adolf Schärf
(1890–1965)		SPÖ20 December 194522 May 1957Renner (SPÖ)
Figl (ÖVP)
Raab (ÖVP)
Bruno Pittermann
(1905–1983)		SPÖ22 May 195719 April 1966Raab (ÖVP)
Gorbach (ÖVP)
Klaus (ÖVP)
Fritz Bock
(1911–1993)		ÖVP19 April 196619 January 1968Klaus (ÖVP)
Hermann Withalm
(1912–2003)		ÖVP19 January 196821 April 1970Klaus (ÖVP)
Rudolf Häuser
(1909–2000)		SPÖ21 April 197030 September 1976Kreisky (SPÖ)
Hannes Androsch
(born 1938)		SPÖ1 October 197620 January 1981Kreisky (SPÖ)
Fred Sinowatz
(1929–2008)		SPÖ20 January 198124 May 1983Kreisky (SPÖ)
Norbert Steger
(born 1944)		FPÖ24 May 198321 January 1987Sinowatz (SPÖ)
Vranitzky (SPÖ)
Alois Mock
(1934–2017)		ÖVP21 January 198724 April 1989Vranitzky (SPÖ)
Josef Riegler
(born 1938)		ÖVP24 April 19892 July 1991Vranitzky (SPÖ)
Erhard Busek
(1941–2022)		ÖVP2 July 19914 May 1995Vranitzky (SPÖ)
Wolfgang Schüssel
(born 1945)		ÖVP4 May 19954 February 2000Vranitzky (SPÖ)
Klima (SPÖ)
Susanne Riess-Passer
(born 1961)		FPÖ4 February 200028 February 2003Schüssel (ÖVP)
Herbert Haupt
(born 1947)		FPÖ28 February 200321 October 2003Schüssel (ÖVP)
Hubert Gorbach
(born 1956)		BZÖ21 October 200311 January 2007Schüssel (ÖVP)
Wilhelm Molterer
(born 1955)		ÖVP11 January 20072 December 2008Gusenbauer (SPÖ)
Josef Pröll
(born 1968)		ÖVP2 December 200821 April 2011Faymann (SPÖ)
Michael Spindelegger
(born 1959)		ÖVP21 April 20111 September 2014Faymann (SPÖ)
Reinhold Mitterlehner
(born 1955)		ÖVP1 September 201417 May 2017Faymann (SPÖ)
Kern (SPÖ)
Wolfgang Brandstetter
(born 1957)		Independent17 May 201718 December 2017Kern (SPÖ)
Heinz-Christian Strache
(born 1969)		FPÖ18 December 201722 May 2019Kurz (ÖVP)
Hartwig Löger
(born 1965)		ÖVP22 May 20193 June 2019Kurz (ÖVP)
Clemens Jabloner
(born 1948)		Independent3 June 20191 October 2019Bierlein (Ind.)
Werner Kogler
(born 1961)		Greens7 January 20202 October 2024Kurz (ÖVP)
Schallenberg (ÖVP)
Nehammer (ÖVP)
Andreas Babler
(born 1973)		SPÖ3 March 2025IncumbentStocker (ÖVP)

Longest-serving vice-chancellors

The following table lists all vice-chancellors of the Second Republic (since 1945) ranked by their length of tenure, with the incumbent vice-chancellor's tenure automatically updating daily.

RankVice-ChancellorLength of tenureTimespanParty
1Adolf Schärf111945–1957SPÖ
2Bruno Pittermann81957–1966SPÖ
3Rudolf Häuser61970–1976SPÖ
4Wolfgang Schüssel41995–2000ÖVP
5Werner Kogler42020–2024Greens
6Hannes Androsch41976–1981SPÖ
7Erhard Busek31991–1995ÖVP
8Norbert Steger31983–1987FPÖ
9Michael Spindelegger32011–2014ÖVP
10Hubert Gorbach32003–2007BZÖ
11Susanne Riess-Passer32000–2003FPÖ
12Reinhold Mitterlehner22014–2017ÖVP
13Josef Pröll22008–2011ÖVP
14Fred Sinowatz21981–1983SPÖ
15Alois Mock21987–1989ÖVP
16Hermann Withalm21968–1970ÖVP
17Josef Riegler21989–1991ÖVP
18Wilhelm Molterer12007–2008ÖVP
19Fritz Bock11966–1968ÖVP
20Heinz-Christian Strache12017–2019FPÖ
21Andreas Babler12025–presentSPÖ
22Herbert Haupt02003FPÖ
23Wolfgang Brandstetter02017IND
24Clemens Jabloner02019IND
25Hartwig Löger02019ÖVP

Vice-chancellors by party

The following table summarizes vice-chancellors of the Second Republic grouped by political party.

PartyTotal time in officeNumber of
vice-chancellors		Vice-chancellors
SPÖ
Social Democratic Party		35
(ongoing)		6Adolf Schärf, Bruno Pittermann, Rudolf Häuser, Hannes Androsch, Fred Sinowatz, Andreas Babler
ÖVP
Austrian People's Party		27 years, 161 days11Fritz Bock, Hermann Withalm, Alois Mock, Josef Riegler, Erhard Busek, Wolfgang Schüssel, Wilhelm Molterer, Josef Pröll, Michael Spindelegger, Reinhold Mitterlehner, Hartwig Löger
FPÖ
Freedom Party		8 years, 293 days4Norbert Steger, Susanne Riess-Passer, Herbert Haupt, Heinz-Christian Strache
Greens
The Greens		4 years, 270 days1Werner Kogler
BZÖ
Alliance for the Future of Austria		3 years, 83 days1Hubert Gorbach
IND
Independent		336 days2Wolfgang Brandstetter, Clemens Jabloner

Notes:

  • Green indicates the party of the current incumbent vice-chancellor
  • Bold name indicates the current incumbent vice-chancellor
  • SPÖ total time includes the ongoing tenure of Andreas Babler

The following table shows age-related data for all vice-chancellors of the Second Republic, with living vice-chancellors' ages automatically updating.

Vice-ChancellorBornAge at start
of vice-chancellorship		Age at end
of vice-chancellorship		Post-office
timespan		DiedLifespan
Adolf Schärf20 April 189055
20 December 1945		67
22 May 1957		728 February 196574
Bruno Pittermann3 September 190551
22 May 1957		60
19 April 1966		1719 September 198378
Fritz Bock26 February 191155
19 April 1966		56
19 January 1968		2512 December 199382
Hermann Withalm21 April 191255
19 January 1968		58
21 April 1970		3319 August 200391
Rudolf Häuser19 March 190961
21 April 1970		67
30 September 1976		2324 March 200091
Hannes Androsch18 April 193838
1 October 1976		42
20 January 1981		4311 December 202486
Fred Sinowatz5 February 192951
20 January 1981		54
24 May 1983		2511 August 200879
Norbert Steger6 March 194439
24 May 1983		42
21 January 1987		39—82
Alois Mock10 June 193452
21 January 1987		54
24 April 1989		281 June 201782
Josef Riegler1 November 193850
24 April 1989		52
2 July 1991		35—88
Erhard Busek25 March 194150
2 July 1991		54
4 May 1995		2613 March 202280
Wolfgang Schüssel7 June 194549
4 May 1995		54
4 February 2000		26—81
Susanne Riess-Passer3 January 196139
4 February 2000		42
28 February 2003		23—65
Herbert Haupt28 September 194755
28 February 2003		56
21 October 2003		23—79
Hubert Gorbach27 July 195647
21 October 2003		50
11 January 2007		19—70
Wilhelm Molterer14 May 195551
11 January 2007		53
2 December 2008		17—71
Josef Pröll14 September 196840
2 December 2008		42
21 April 2011		15—58
Michael Spindelegger21 December 195951
21 April 2011		54
1 September 2014		12—66
Reinhold Mitterlehner10 December 195558
1 September 2014		61
17 May 2017		9—70
Wolfgang Brandstetter7 October 195759
17 May 2017		60
18 December 2017		8—69
Heinz-Christian Strache12 June 196948
18 December 2017		49
22 May 2019		7—57
Hartwig Löger15 July 196553
22 May 2019		53
3 June 2019		7—61
Clemens Jabloner28 November 194870
3 June 2019		70
2 October 2019		7—77
Werner Kogler20 November 196158
7 January 2020		62
2 October 2024		2—64
Andreas Babler25 February 197352
3 March 2025		Incumbent53

Notes:

  • Light green indicates living former vice-chancellors
  • Green indicates the current incumbent vice-chancellor
  • Living vice-chancellors' post-office timespan and lifespan automatically update daily

Graphical representation

This is a graphical lifespan timeline of the vice-chancellors of Austria since 1945. They are listed in order of first assuming office.

The following chart shows vice-chancellors by their age (living vice-chancellors in green), with the years of their time in office in color.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Babler Andreas, MSc | Parlament Österreich" (in German). www.parlament.gv.at. Retrieved 2024-11-15.