Norbert Hofer
Norbert Gerwald Hofer (German: [ˈnɔɐ̯b̥ɛɐ̯t ˈhoːfɐ]; born 2 March 1971) is an Austrian politician who served as Leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) from June 2019 to June 2021. He previously was Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology from 2017 to 2019 under Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
Norbert Hofer
Himself
Verena Malus
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Hofer served as Third President of the National Council from 2013 to 2017. He was his party's candidate in the 2016 presidential election. Hofer won the first round, receiving 35.1%, but was defeated by The Greens' candidate Alexander Van der Bellen, 53.8% against 46.2%, in the final runoff (an earlier runoff was invalidated).
He later served as Minister for Transport in the first Kurz government from 2017 to 2019. He became Leader of the Freedom Party in September 2019, after holding the office in an acting capacity from May to September 2019.
He stepped down as party leader in 2021 after losing a power struggle with Herbert Kickl.
Early life and education[edit]
Hofer was born in Vorau, Austria, the son of a local Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) councillor and electric power station director. He was raised in a middle-class family in Pinkafeld, Burgenland.[1]
He finished secondary school at the HTBLA Eisenstadt with specialization in aeronautics.[2] From 1990 until 1991, Hofer fulfilled his military service.[2] From 1991 until 1994 he worked as an aeronautical engineer at Lauda Air Engineering.
Private career[edit]
Hofer serves on the board of directors of Eurosolar Austria,[19] has served on the boards of Mapjet AG (2010–2011) and International Sky Services AG (2011–2012) and was executive chairman of PAF private trust (2011–2012).[2]
Ideology and political positions[edit]
Most mainstream press sources describe Hofer as "far-right".[20][21] Writer Michael Toner of the centrist online news publication International Business Times referred to Hofer as a neo-fascist.[22] However, other media outlets and political commentators have referred to Hofer as the face of the more moderate wing of the FPÖ and less hard-line compared to former party leader Heinz-Christian Strache.[23][24][25]
Hofer himself has stated that he is not a nationalist but a patriot, and that the FPÖ is not an extreme-right movement but "a centre-right party with a high degree of social responsibility.”[26][27] He has also cited former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as one of his political influences.[25][28]
In February 2015, Hofer proposed that South Tyrol, an autonomous German-speaking province administered by Italy and formerly part of Austria-Hungary, should be absorbed into Austria.[29] In 2016, Hofer stated that he would want Austria to hold a referendum on its membership of the European Union if the European Parliament were to assume more powers or if Turkey acceded to the bloc. Hofer has also defended the right to gun ownership.[27]
Hofer stated that the Quran was more dangerous than COVID-19 during a speech held at a 2020 campaign event. As a result, he was sued for hate-speech.[30]
