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Hahn nominated as EU Commissioner

The Local Austria
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Hahn nominated as EU Commissioner
Photo: APA/HERBERT PFARRHOFER

The Austrian government has officially nominated Johannes Hahn (People's Party/ÖVP) as Austria's member of the EU commission.

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Hahn had done "a good job" as EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, it was too early to talk about his future function, though, Chancellor Werner Faymann (Social Democrats/SPÖ) said on Tuesday to journalists.

The next step after Hahn's formal nomination by the government will be a discussion in parliament. It was not clear yet that Hahn would again become European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Faymann and Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger (ÖVP) stressed. "I would like him to be responsible for regional policy as that is incredibly important", Spindelegger said.

Hahn had been praised by other heads of government for his work as well, Spindelegger added. Besides that there was "hope", that he would become Commissioner of Regional Policy due to the fact that he had experience in this field.

During his political career, the 56-year-old Hahn had worked his way steadily up in the ÖVP in the 1980's and 90's. In 1996 he entered the Vienna City parliament, and in 2003 became a city councillor without portfolio. He was meanwhile chairman of the board of "Novomatic AG" until joining the city council.

From June 2005 Hahn was head of the ÖVP in the City of Vienna. In October the same year, his party placed second in Vienna elections, but far behind the ruling Social Democrats. In 2007 Hahn was sworn in as Federal Minister of Science and Research, until he became EU Commissioner in the second Barroso Commission in 2010.

Hahn, who is married and has one son, has successfully battled cancer. He sees himself as a liberal-conservative. "I stand for modern life-feeling, humane urbanity, and for openness and freedom in politics and society."

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