Background
Häupl was born in Altlengbach, Lower Austria.
Häupl was born in Altlengbach, Lower Austria.
He studied Biology and Zoology at the University of Vienna and was an academic assistant at the Vienna Natural History Museum from 1975 to 1983.
Häupl followed Helmut Zilk in 1993 as a state party chairman of the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) and on 7 November 1994, he became the mayor of Vienna. In the 1996 City Council election, the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) lost its overall control of the 100-seat chamber with 43 seats on 39.15% of the vote. Foreign the period 1996-2001 the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) governed Vienna in a coalition with the Österreichisches Volkspartei (Austrian People's Party). In 2001 the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) regained overall control with 52 seats on 46.91% of the vote.
lieutenant improved on this in October 2005 with 55 seats on 49.09%.
However, Häupl has also presided over a period of increased voter apathy, with turnout dropping from 68.46% in 1996 to 60.81% in 2005. Häupl is the Deputy Federal Party chairman of the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) and is considered to be one of the most important internal supporters of the current chairman, Werner Faymann.
On 14 December 2004 Häupl was elected unopposed to succeed Valéry Giscard d"Estaing as President of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions.
Häupl has won three elections since his appointment as mayor. Each of them has led to increased majorities for the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria). 1996 also saw a strong Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Freedom Party of Austria), which won 29 seats (up from 21 in 1991), beating the Österreichisches Volkspartei (Austrian People's Party) into third place for the second time running.
He was the State Chairman of the Socialist Students of Austria, the student organisation of the Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) from 1975 to 1978, a member of the Viennese Municipal Council from 1983 to 1988, and until 1994, the town councillor for the environment and sport.
He is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria.
