Barbara Prammer is Dead: About the Woman in the Second Highest Office in the State

Barbara Prammer publicly disclosed her cancer diagnosis in September of the previous year, but did not provide details about her illness to protect her privacy. On July 1st, complications arose, and she had to be hospitalized due to an infection, requesting the Second President of the National Council, Karlheinz Kopf (ÖVP), to take over her duties. Prammer celebrated her 60th birthday on January 9th with a ceremony in the historic meeting hall of the parliament with 470 guests.

About the Head of the High House

For almost eight years, Prammer was the head of the High House. During this time, she steadily gained popularity among the people. While she was far from being a mass favorite as Minister for Women under Viktor Klima, the long-time SPÖ women’s leader consistently ranked as the first challenger to Federal President Heinz Fischer in the APA/OGM trust index.

Barbara Prammer Could Have Become Federal President

The illness made public in September did not diminish her popularity; on the contrary. Despite her illness, the disciplined parliamentary leader remained in office. At least until the announcement of her illness, Prammer was long considered – alongside Social Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer – as the logical SPÖ candidate for the next Hofburg election.

Prammer hinted at her potential for a head of state role, even though she was not known as a great orator. With the exception of her ongoing feud with former Third President Martin Graf (FPÖ), the president, who was more aligned with the left wing of the SPÖ, got along well with all factions.

Politician Advocated for Democracy Workshop

She further advanced the opening of the parliament. Sensitizing young people to the values of democracy was a major concern for her – her favorite project, the Democracy Workshop, is now firmly established. Prammer managed to get the renovation of the High House on track despite some problems and delays. She also emerged as a book author.

Prammer hailed from the Hausruckviertel, specifically from Ottnang. She became acquainted with politics early on, as her father was active in local politics. After graduating from HAK, she studied sociology and later worked as a women’s officer at the employment service, among other roles, as a divorced mother of a son and a daughter.

Greater Steps into Politics

In 1991, Prammer took her first major step into politics when she became a member of the state parliament in Upper Austria. In 1995, she became the state councilor for housing and nature conservation, the first woman in an Upper Austrian state government. She became known nationwide for her opposition to the construction of the controversial Traun power plant in Lambach.

From then on, Prammer was considered a hopeful prospect for the party’s future. Chancellor Viktor Klima (SPÖ) brought her into his cabinet as Minister for Women in 1997, although it was a rather challenging time, as her term included the women’s referendum, which she herself signed.

The Word of the President of the National Council Carried Weight

Prammer was one of the few prominent SPÖ representatives who remained in top politics even after the black-blue shift. She took her seat in the National Council and rose to Second President of the National Council after Heinz Fischer moved to the Hofburg, the highest formal position the SPÖ could offer at the time.

With the SPÖ’s election victory in 2006, Prammer climbed one step higher to the presidency. Her word carried weight in the party, even though she was not part of Chancellor Werner Faymann’s (SPÖ) inner circle. (APA)