Hannes Swoboda

Hannes Swoboda, actually Johannes Swoboda ( born November 10, 1946 in Bad German -Altenburg ), is an Austrian MEP ( SPÖ). He is a member of the European Parliament (MEP) and since 17 January 2012, Chairman of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament ( S & D). In the elections for the European Parliament in the spring of 2014 Swoboda did not stand.

Policy

Functions

After studying law and economics from 1964 to 1972, he held various political offices and functions: It was in Vienna from 1983 to 1988 local council and 1988-1996 Councillor for Urban Planning and Development ( see state government and city senate Zilk II, Zilk III and Häupl I).

Since 1996 he is a member of the European Parliament and rose there first as deputy and later to Group Chairman of the SPE on. Swoboda is one of the Balkan experts of the EP and in 2008 was rapporteur on the progress report on Croatia in April 2007 of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Relations, which was adopted by the EP with a very large majority. He participates in the "A Soul for Europe " initiative and is a member of their Parliamentary working group that links the initiative with the European Parliament.

He is a member of the Federal Executive and the Vienna Board of the SPÖ. Hannes Swoboda supports the initiative for more Europe and has signed the Manifesto of the Spinelli Group.

Head of Delegation in the EP

Internal party Swoboda was 1999/2000 involved in disputes. The former SPÖ Chancellor Viktor Klima had elected the party free publicist Hans -Peter Martin top candidate of the party in the European elections. After the election, however, the other SPÖ MEP refused under Swoboda's guide to choose Martin to its head of delegation, and chose Swoboda in this function. Martin has since been " wild " ( non-attached ) MEP. In the European elections in Austria 2009 Swoboda was again leading candidate of the Social Democratic Party. However, the SPÖ lost, not least due to the recent Antretens Martins and his intense support from the " Kronen-Zeitung " and dropped two EP Mandates behind the voting strength of the ÖVP. Swoboda did not run as head of delegation of the PES due to his election as Vice President of S & D Group.

Understanding of "sanctions"?

Domestically, Swoboda was criticized in 2000 by Jörg Haider, because, in the opinion of commentators in a letter understanding of the so-called in Austria sanctions then 14 other EU countries (refusal of bilateral talks and the highest-ranking contacts with the new black-and- blue federal government for lack of definition of the FPÖ to the far right ) have shown. ( The Social Democratic Party was accused of right-wing circles, "ordered" to have these "sanctions" in the other EU countries. Measures were after recently recognized as counterproductive and canceled.)

Statements about the economic crisis in 2008

In a chat about the EU and the current economic crisis in the daily newspaper Der Standard Swoboda has responded in October 2008 on the question of the effectiveness of the two- trillion - euro financial guarantee of governments:

Personal

Hannes Swoboda is with the former Austrian State Secretary, and Vienna City Councillor for Finance Brigitte Ederer, a former board member of Siemens AG, married. In his spare time he enjoys hobbies photography and painting. At an exhibition in Vienna's cable plant in June 2010, he showed some pictures.

Awards

• Grand Silver Medal with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria (1998)
• Order of the town of Pogradec, Albania with the motivation: For outstanding contributions and commitment to the stabilization of South Eastern Europe " - a region which was throughout history always been known for instability and now thanks to their involvement has a European perspective. Your trust and support in this region, especially in the Western Balkans are associated with great recognition. "