Josef Bucher (born 19 August 1965 in Friesach) is an Austrian politician and former leader of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) as well as former Member of Parliament for the party. Divorced with two children, Bucher is a hotel owner.[1]
Josef Bucher
 | |
|---|---|
| National Council | |
| In office October 2008 – December 2013 | |
| Leader of the Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ) | |
| In office 26 April 2009 – 2 October 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Herbert Scheibner |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Grosz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 August 1965 Friesach |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Political party | Bündnis Zukunft Österreich |
After the death of BZÖ chairman Jörg Haider, Bucher was elected Klubobmann, chairman of the party's parliamentary grouping on 22 October 2008. Initially, Stefan Petzner, Haider's designated successor as party chairman, was expected to be elected to that post as well. Petzner had to pass the leadership over to former vice-chairman Herbert Scheiber. His replacement as party leader was widely interpreted as the result of the rising criticism of Petzner's former media appearances.[2]
Both Petzner and Scheibner were elected two of five vice chairmen of the party (the other 3 being Stadler the European Parliament future leading candidate of the party, Haider's sister Haubner and former party leader of the BZÖ Westenthaler).[3]
On 26 April 2009 at the party congress in Linz, Bucher was elected as the new leader of the party.[4]
On 30 January 2010 after the secession of the party officials and members from the Carinthian party, Bucher was elected Chairman of the newly formed Carinthian BZÖ.[5]
In a reaction about the issue that 10 per cent of Austrians own nearly 60 per cent of the country's private assets, Bucher criticised in an interview 2011 that further lack of reforms by the Austrian Federal Government would create new poverty in the middle class.[6]
On 18 April 2012 Josef Bucher stated in further cases of market manipulation and reckless car petrol price increasements by businesspeople in the energy sector prison terms were needed as a stricter penalty against the leading entrepreneurs. [7]
In October 2012 Josef Bucher demanded in parliament for a flat tax with 39% as an income tax quota for all income-earners over €14,793.09 per annum and 10% for all between Geringfügigkeitsgrenze(marginal employment border) and the €14,993.09 threshold per annum) [8]
Josef Bucher stepped down as BZÖ party leader after BZÖ lost all seats in parliament in the 2013 legislative election.
References
edit- ^ Bojan Pancevski (23 October 2008). "Far-right Austrian leader sacked for revealing gay affair with Jörg Haider". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
- ^ "Petzner als BZÖ-Obmann Geschichte: Scheibner kommt > Diepresse.com". Diepresse.com. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ "Die Mandatare des BZÖ >bzoe.at". bzoe.at. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ "Bucher mit 99,4 Prozent zum BZÖ-Chef gewählt > Kleine Zeitung". Kleinezeitung.at. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
- ^ "Bucher mit 99,6 Prozent zum BZÖ-Landesobmann gewählt. >OE24.at". oe24.at. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ "Lack of reforms 'will impoverish middle class' >austrianindependent.com". austrianindependent.com. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ^ "Reckless fuel pricing must mean prison, says BZÖ". Austrian Times. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
- ^ "Flat Tax in Austria?". Vindobona.org. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2019.