Peter Westenthaler (born "Peter Hojač", 6 November 1967, Vienna) is an Austrian politician. He assumed his mother's maiden name Westenthaler instead of his former surname Hojač (Czech). A member of Jörg Haider's Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) up to the so-called "Knittelfeld Putsch" of 2002,[1] he then worked for Frank Stronach's Magna Steyr, and in June 2006 was elected chairman of the newly founded Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).

Peter Westenthaler
Chair of the Alliance for the Future
In office
23 June 2006 – 30 August 2008
Preceded byJörg Haider
Succeeded byJörg Haider
Member of the National Council
In office
30 October 2006 – 28 October 2013
Nominated byHimself
AffiliationAlliance for the Future
In office
29 October 1999 – 19 December 2002
Constituency9D – Vienna South
Personal details
Born (1967-11-06) 6 November 1967 (age 56)
NationalityAustrian
Political partyAlliance for the Future

As leader of the BZÖ, Westenthaler was engaged in a heated dispute with FPÖ chairman Heinz-Christian Strache over which of the two political parties is the legal successor to the former FPÖ (the party before the split of 2005 which was a candidate at the 2002 Austrian legislative election).

On 30 August 2008, Peter Westenthaler was officially replaced as chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) by party founder Jörg Haider.

References edit

  1. ^ Art, David. The Politics of the Nazi Past in Germany and Austria. New York, NY: Cambridge UP, 2006. 193.