Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) rights in Austria have advanced significantly in the 21st century,and are now considered generally progressive. Both male and female forms of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Austria. Registered partnerships were introduced in 2010,giving same-sex couples some of the rights of marriage. Stepchild adoption was legalised in 2013,while full joint adoption was legalised by the Constitutional Court of Austria in 2016. On 5 December 2017,the Austrian Constitutional Court decided to legalise same-sex marriage,and the ruling went into effect on 1 January 2019.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) is a ministry in the Finnish Government and is responsible for preparing and implementing the government's foreign policy.
Johannes Hahn is an Austrian politician who has served as European Commissioner for Budget and Administration under Ursula von der Leyen since 1 December 2019.
Sanna Mirella Marin is a Finnish former politician who served as prime minister of Finland from 2019 to 2023 and as the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) from 2020 to 2023. She was a Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2023. She was re-elected as member of parliament in April 2023 but resigned to become a strategic adviser on political leaders' reform programmes in the Tony Blair Institute in September 2023.
Brigitte Bierlein was an Austrian jurist who served as president of the Constitutional Court before serving as chancellor of Austria from June 2019 until January 2020. An independent,she was the first woman to hold either office.
Sonja Hammerschmid is an Austrian molecular biologist and politician. She was Rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna from 2010 to 2016 and minister of education in the Kern government from 2016 to 2017. Since 2017,Hammerschmid has been a member of the Austrian National Council. Hammerschmid is a member of the Social Democratic Party.
Hertha Firnberg was an Austrian politician.
The Bierlein government was the 32nd Government of Austria following the collapse of the First Kurz government headed by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in the aftermath of the Ibiza affair. Sworn in on 3 June 2019,the Bierlein government was the first purely technocratic government in Austrian history,first interim government after a successful motion of no confidence in Parliament and first government headed by a female chancellor. As head of government,Brigitte Bierlein was assisted by Clemens Jabloner as vice-chancellor.
Alexander Georg Nicolas Schallenberg is an Austrian diplomat,jurist,and politician who has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the government of Chancellor Karl Nehammer since 2021,previously holding the office from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP),he held the position in the second government of Sebastian Kurz,before briefly serving as Chancellor of Austria as Kurz's successor from 11 October to 6 December 2021.
Claudia Angela Gamon is an Austrian politician and former student union functionary who served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2024. Gamon has been a member of the National Council of Austria since October 2015.
Eduard Müller is an Austrian politician and author. He served as Minister of Finance in 2019. He also managed the Ministry of Civil Service and Sports.
Hilde Hawlicek is an Austrian retired politician and former Minister for Education,Arts and Sport.
Maria Patek is an Austrian civil servant who served as the minister for Sustainability and Tourism in the Bierlein government.
Ines Stilling is an Austrian civil servant who served as the Minister for Women,Families and Youth in the Bierlein government.
Brigitte Zarfl is an Austrian civil servant. She served as Minister for Labour,Social Affairs,Health and Consumer Protection in the Bierlein government.
Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl is an Austrian civil servant. She served as Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs in the Bierlein government.
Beatrix Karl is an Austrian academic and politician. A former member of the National Council,she served as Minister for Science and Research (2010–2011) and as Minister of Justice (2011–2013) in the first Faymann government.
The Second Kurz government was the 33rd Government of Austria. Led by Sebastian Kurz as chancellor and Werner Kogler as vice-chancellor,it was sworn in by President Alexander Van der Bellen on 7 January 2020. It was officially dissolved and succeeded by the Schallenberg government on 11 October 2021.
Christine Aschbacher was an Austrian People's Party politician who served in the Second Kurz government as minister of labour,family and youth between January 2020 and January 2021.
Bettina Stark-Watzinger is a German economist and politician of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) who has been serving as Minister of Education and Research in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's cabinet since 2021. She has been a member of the Bundestag from the state of Hesse since 2017.
