Werner Faymann
An Austrian chancellor whose pragmatic leadership during the European financial crisis gave way to internal party strife, leading to his abrupt resignation.
Born 1960 (age 66)·Chancellor of Austria from 2008 to 2016·Birthday: May 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Werner Faymann's political journey was one of steady ascent within Austria's Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), culminating in a chancellorship defined by crisis management and eventual political unraveling. Taking office in 2008, he immediately faced the global financial meltdown, steering Austria through with a series of bank bailouts and stimulus packages that prioritized stability. His tenure was marked by a grand coalition with the conservative People's Party, a sometimes-unwieldy partnership that delivered governance but diluted clear political vision. Faymann's pragmatic, centrist approach initially garnered public support, but over time drew criticism from both the left flank of his own party and a rising far-right opposition. The European migrant crisis of 2015 proved a final, fractious test; his initially welcoming stance faced fierce backlash. Amid plummeting polls and mounting dissent within the SPÖ, Faymann stunned the nation in May 2016 by resigning from all his posts, a rare act of political withdrawal that closed a chapter of Austrian consensus politics.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Werner was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Werner Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Werner's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Chancellor of Austria from 2008 to 2016, leading a grand coalition government.
- Chaired the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) during his chancellorship.
- Oversaw Austria's response to the 2008 global financial crisis, including significant bank stabilization measures.
- His resignation in 2016 triggered a leadership election and a reshuffle of the governing coalition.
Did You Know?
Before entering politics full-time, he studied law at the University of Vienna but did not complete his degree.
He worked for the Austrian Tenants' Association early in his career, focusing on housing policy.
His resignation as chancellor was announced via a press release, without an immediate public speech.
He is married to a primary school teacher, Martina Ludwig-Faymann.
“Politics is the art of finding solutions in a crisis.”
