US embassy cable - 05VIENNA215

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENNA 000215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, AU 
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA: NEW SOCIAL AFFAIRS MINISTER:  HAUBNER IN, 
HAUPT OUT 
 
 
Classified By: ECONOMIC-POLITICAL COUNSELOR GREGORY E. PHILLIPS.  REASO 
NS:  1.4 (b) AND (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  Ursula Haubner has replaced Herbert Haupt 
as Austria's Minister for Social Affairs.  Haubner, who had 
served as State Secretary (junior minister) in the same 
ministry, had replaced Haupt as Freedom Party (FPO) leader in 
October 2003.  The move was largely a decision of the Freedom 
Party (FPO), and observers interpret the reshuffle as an FPO 
effort to consolidate its party structure.  End summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Following its traditional New Year's off-site, the 
FPO announced on January 24 that party leader and state 
secretary Ursula Haubner would move up to the position of 
 
SIPDIS 
Minister of Social Affairs.  Haubner, who is the sister of 
FPO strongman and Carinthia governor Joerg Haider, succeeds 
Herbert Haupt, who had stepped down as FPO party leader and 
as Vice Chancellor in October 2003.  Haupt has cited health 
reasons for his resignation. 
 
3.  (SBU) The party further designated the FPO's 
parliamentary social affairs spokesman, Sigisbert Dolinschek, 
to take the FPO's state secretary slot, which Haubner had 
held.  Dolinschek will become state secretary in the Health 
Ministry.  Dolinschek, a political ally of Haider, is a 
long-time FPO backbencher and comes from the FPO's power base 
of Carinthia. 
 
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Reactions 
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4.  (SBU) Haider argued the move made sense because it would 
give the FPO party leader a full vote in day-to-day cabinet 
decisions.  Wilhelm Molterer, the parliamentary floor leader 
of the People's Party (OVP), the FPO's senior coalition 
partner, said the reshuffle pointed toward a 
"professionalization of the leadership structures" of the 
FPO.  Somewhat predictably, the opposition Social Democrats 
(SPO) and Greens charged that the move showed the 
government's "instability."  This marks the seventh cabinet 
change during Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel's second 
government. 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (C) It would be tempting to read the elevation of Joerg 
Haider's sister as a step toward Haider's own return to 
national prominence.  Indeed, the changes touched off a new 
round of speculation that Haider was preparing his return as 
FPO national chairman.  However, there is no evidence to 
support this hypothesis.  Rather, Haupt has been damaged 
goods since he lost his party leadership and Vice 
Chancellorship in 2003.  Many considered Haubner's ascension 
as only a matter of time.  During her tenure as party leader, 
Haubner has developed a reputation for competence.  Her 
assumption of full ministerial rank will give her time to 
enhance her public profile before national elections, which 
are due in the Fall of 2006. 
Brown