Chancellor Werner Faymann of Austria

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Author: Christian Jansky

As head of the most voted party, Faymann was asked by Federal President Heinz Fischer to form the new Government on October 8, 2008, and sworn in on 2 December 2008.

Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Austria think transport minister Werner Faymann is the right man to lead the ruling Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) into the next federal election, according to a poll by OGM.

59 per cent of respondents say Faymann is a more promising candidate than current chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer.

On Dec 7, Faymann said unemployment would be the main challenge for the new government, adding, No one knows how the economic crisis will further develop.

On 2nd December 2008, the new Austrian Federal Government Faymann was sworn in by Federal President Heinz Fischer.

Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann is the Head of the government.

Werner Faymann is the eleventh Federal Chancellor of the Second Republic and the sixth coming from the ranks of the Social Democratic Party.

Faymann is known as incurable optimist, and someone who wants to build bridges between the humans, except for members of the Freedom Party.

SP boss Werner Faymann met with FP front runner Heinz-Christian Strache on Monday to discuss how to tackle inflation.

Faymann was also roundly criticised by opponents and some fellow party members over the open letter he and Gusenbauer wrote to the 'Kronen Zeitung', Austria's most popular newspaper, in which they stated they had changed their minds over future EU treaties.

Austria could partly privatise the cargo unit Rail Cargo Austria of state railway system ÖBB, new Chancellor Werner Faymann was quoted as saying on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

I was always of the opinion that a partner should be sought for the ÖBB cargo unit, if possible," Faymann was quoted as saying in daily newspaper WirtschaftsBlatt.

Vienna - Werner Faymann was elected Friday as the new leader of Austria's Social Democratic party, making him the party's standard-bearer in upcoming national elections in late September.

Faymann has been Minister for Traffic, Technology and Research in the grand coalition, and was semi-officially proposed for the post by Gusenbauer.

In the past week, however, the SP has clearly passed by the VP, as the party has consolidated around Faymann, who is nearly twice as popular than Molterer in head to head polls about the 'Chancellor question', and as Faymann has staged a coup with a five-point plan against price inflation.

Wiener Zeitung: Faymann sagt VP Kampf anWiener Zeitung: Faymann takes fight to VPSP-Vorsitzender Werner Faymann kndigte am Montag den Koalitionspakt mit der VP auf, der auch vorsieht, dass sich die beiden Regierungsparteien im Nationalrat nicht berstimmen.

Faymann had favoured a left-right alliance from the start, but among conservatives -- defeated in elections for the second time in as many years on Sept.

An IPO of Rail Cargo Austria or the engagement of a strategic partner should be considered, Faymann said in an interview with Austrian daily Die Presse.

Austria's Social Democratic Party leader and Transport Minister Werner Faymann is seen here in 2007.

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The measure, which Faymann would like to be passed by parliament before the polls, was necessary "so that purchasing power gets stronger again," Faymann said at a rally on Friday.

Although both of the current governing parties have said they would not form coalitions with Strache's FPOe, social democratic leader Faymann is seeking support from the right-wing parties for his tax-cut proposal.

SPÖ Minister for Infrastructure Werner Faymann said it is "politically unthinkable” to shut down 1,000 of the Post’s current 1,300 offices as a recent secret paper indicated.

Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer and infrastructure minister Werner Faymann said the blocking minority was an integral part of the privatization contract.

In an open letter published late last month by the tabloid Kronen Zeitung, Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and party chief Werner Faymann said they would seek referenda on future changes to the EU's reform treaty, as well as Turkey's possible accession to the 27-nation bloc.

In the election campaign barometer of STEREICH social democrat Werner Faymann is the leader.

We will prepare a list for the 2008 general elections, I suggested that Werner Faymann lead the Social Democrats' candidate list," Gusenbauer told a press conference following a party meeting.

Faymann said he was "disappointed" with the People's Party, while party secretary Doris Bures spoke of the conservatives' "destructive power.

In an open letter published late last month by the tabloid Kronen Zeitung, Gusenbauer and Faymann said they would seek referendums on future changes to the EU's reform treaty that pertain to Austrian interests, as well as Turkey's possible accession to the 27-nation bloc.

Werner Faymann is the front-runner of the SP for the national elections in 2008.

Werner Faymann is married to Martina Ludwig and is the father of two daughters (17 and 5 years old.