Harald Vilimsky

Vilimsky's mother was a nurse and raised him together with his stepfather, an insurance broker, in the Vienna district of Favoriten. He never met his biological father, and was 16 years old when his mother died. After lower school, he attended a commercial academy and graduated there. He then studied economics and dropped out. From 1988 to 1990 he attended a university course in public relations at the University of Vienna.{{cite news |author=Oliver Pink |title=Vilimsky und Kickl: Der Raue und der Schlaue |url=https://diepresse.com/home/innenpolitik/503497/Vilimsky-und-Kickl_Der-Raue-und-der-Schlaue |newspaper=Die Presse |language=de |author-link=Oliver Pink}}

After completing his university course, Vilimsky worked in various positions as a press officer. First, he worked for the Road Safety Board for a year, then from 1991 Vilimsky was press officer in the FPÖ National Council club. In 1995, the then FPÖ regional party chairman Rainer Pawkowicz brought him into the club of the FPÖ state parliament and municipal council faction in Vienna City Hall. There he met his future mentor and friend Heinz-Christian Strache. After Strache was elected as Vienna FPÖ chairman in March 2004, Harald Vilimsky became regional party secretary of the Vienna FPÖ and became key to many of the party's election programmes.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2024 |title=Post an Harald Vilimsky: Wer das Etikett "radikal" nicht will, kann es ja mit Mäßigung versuchen |url=https://www.kleinezeitung.at/meinung/18522293/wer-das-etikett-radikal-nicht-will-kann-es-ja-mit-maessigung-versuchen |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=www.kleinezeitung.at |language=de}}{{Cite news |last=Aichinger |first=Philipp |date=17 May 2024 |title=Wie weit Harald Vilimsky und die FPÖ gehen können |url=https://www.diepresse.com/18473070/wie-weit-harald-vilimsky-und-die-fpoe-gehen-koennen |access-date=10 February 2025 |newspaper=Die Presse |language=de}}

From November 2005, Vilimsky was a member of the Federal Council and thus the first new federal political representative of the FPÖ after the split between the FPÖ and the BZÖ. After the 2006 Austrian legislative election, Vilimsky would be placed 3rd on the FPÖ Vienna list and 20th on the FPÖ national list, and was elected to the National Council.{{Cite web |title=Vienna Candidates List, 2006 election |url=https://www.bmi.gv.at/412/Nationalratswahlen/Nationalratswahl_2006/files/LWK_RWK_Wien_I.pdf}}{{Cite web |title=FPÖ Candidates List, 2006 election |url=https://www.bmi.gv.at/412/Nationalratswahlen/Nationalratswahl_2006/files/Bundeswahlvorschlaege/FPOE.pdf}}

In the 2008 Austrian legislative election, Vilimsky would be re-elected as 10th on the FPÖ Vienna list and 5th on the FPÖ national list.{{Cite web |title=FPÖ Candidates List, 2008 election |url=https://www.bmi.gv.at/412/Nationalratswahlen/Nationalratswahl_2008/files/Bundeswahlvorschlaege/Bundeswahlvorschlaege_2008_FPOE.pdf}}

In December 2008, Vilimsky caused a stir with a controversial self-experiment, in which a journalist also took part. In the presence of an emergency doctor, he allowed prison guards to shoot him with an electric shock gun, which is used in prisons to temporarily incapacitate aggressive prisoners. This was to convince the public that the device, according to Vilimsky, is harmless.Kurier: "Hochspannung nach Taser-Test", 7 December 2008

In 2009, Vilimsky commented on Operation Cast Lead and called "the silence of the Western community of states regarding Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip embarrassing." They were "lobby organizations of the Israelis" and condemned "the death toll on a civilian population differently, namely not at all, when it comes from Israel."{{Cite web |title=Gaza-Streifen: Vilimsky verurteilt blamables Schweigen Österreichs zu israelischer Aggression |url=https://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20090102_OTS0039/gaza-streifen-vilimsky-verurteilt-blamables-schweigen-oesterreichs-zu-israelischer-aggression |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=OTS.at |language=de}}

In the 2013 Austrian legislative election, Vilimsky was placed 13th on the FPÖ Vienna list and 6th on the FPÖ national list.{{Cite web |title=Bundeswahlvorschlag FPÖ |url=https://www.bmi.gv.at/412/Nationalratswahlen/Nationalratswahl_2013/Bundeswahlvorschlag_FPOE.aspx |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.bmi.gv.at}}{{Cite web |title=Landeswahlvorschläge Wien |url=https://www.bmi.gv.at/412/Nationalratswahlen/Nationalratswahl_2013/Landeswahlvorschlaege_Wien.aspx |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.bmi.gv.at}} Vilimsky would be re-elected.

File:Harald Vilimsky 2014.jpg

In the 2014 European elections, Vilimsky was presented as joint top candidate for the FPÖ with Andreas Mölzer. After Mölzer quit due to remarks he had made,{{Cite web |last=Bacchi |first=Umberto |date=8 April 2014 |title=Austrian Far-Right MEP Andreas Molzer Quits EU Elections over 'Nazi' and 'N****r' Slurs |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/austrian-far-right-mep-andreas-molzer-quits-eu-elections-over-race-remark-1443922 |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=International Business Times UK |language=en}} Vilimsky would be the sole top candidate. Under Vilimsky, the FPÖ would gain 2 seats in the European parliament and become the third largest Austrian delegation to the European Parliament.{{Cite web |title=Advanced search {{!}} Search {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament {{!}} Austria |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/search/advanced?countryCode=AT |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=en}}

In 2015, the FPÖ and Vilimsky would form the Europe of Nations and Freedom group with other right-wing parties, such as the French National Rally and Italian Lega Nord.{{Cite web |title=Far-right parties form group in EU parliament |url=https://euobserver.com/political/129129 |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=EUobserver |date=15 June 2015 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=15 June 2015 |title=France's National Front says forms group in European Parliament |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/frances-national-front-says-forms-group-european-parliament-204612484.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGv5GJRMDbVxlzQMwhCBI1EYsqhbnLq-xCIIAkZthrAcnjk9rTDKSzlC9nnKqMJjsKd58O9o9NAb41AJCb6nY_C7W-K4e0AuegGRie_Ci61rMa8XIS4msmZdMDMw0UcL1TTBvz_wJ77r8eWnYzoHM5SstaQ50MmXzgTLd9xg6xRq |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-GB}}

During the coalition negotiations between the ÖVP and the FPÖ after the 2017 Austrian legislative election, Vilimsky, along with Johann Gudenus, was named as one of the FPÖ politicians who would be rejected as ministers by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2017 |title=FPÖ-Minister: Van der Bellen wird konkreter |url=https://newsv2.orf.at/stories/2415039/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=news.ORF.at |language=de}}

In July 2018, Vilimsky caused a stir when he accused EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker of alcoholism. Juncker was seen staggering and weak on his feet at the NATO summit on 11 and 12 July 2018. Vilimsky and other European right-wing populist politicians (including those from the German AfD ) accused him of being drunk and called for Juncker's immediate resignation. According to Vilimsky, Juncker was making Europe "a laughing stock" with this behaviour.{{citation|access-date=18 July 2018 |date=13 July 2018 |periodical=News.ORF.at |title=Scharfe Kritik an Vilimsky nach Attacke auf Juncker |url=https://orf.at/stories/2446850/}} In the 2019 European elections, the FPÖ would fall to three seats as Vilimsky was re-elected.

File:Harald Vilimsky.jpg 2023]]

After the Europe of Nations and Freedom group was succeeded by the Identity and Democracy group, Vilimsky would continue to lead the FPÖ as part of the ID group.{{Cite web |date=13 June 2019 |title=Nationalism in the EU has a new name: 'Identity and Democracy' |url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/13/nationalism-in-the-eu-has-a-new-name-identity-and-democracy |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=euronews |language=en}}{{Cite news |work=Reuters |title=France's Le Pen unveils new far-right European Parliament group |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-jobs-lepen/frances-le-pen-unveils-new-far-right-european-parliament-group-idUSKCN1TE1IG/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221110071126/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-jobs-lepen/frances-le-pen-unveils-new-far-right-european-parliament-group-idUSKCN1TE1IG |archive-date=10 November 2022 |access-date=10 February 2025 |language=en-US}}

During the campaign for the 2024 European elections, Vilimsky would refer to President Van der Bellen as Lena Schilling's "green sugar daddy".{{Cite news |date=16 May 2024 |title=Causa Schilling: Vilimsky bezeichnet Van der Bellen als "Sugar Daddy" |url=https://www.diepresse.com/18469620/causa-schilling-vilimsky-bezeichnet-van-der-bellen-als-sugar-daddy |access-date=10 February 2025 |newspaper=Die Presse |language=de}}{{Cite news |title="Maximal sexistisch": Vilimsky und der "Sugardaddy" |url=https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/3000000220301/maximal-sexistisch-vilimsky-und-der-sugardaddy |access-date=10 February 2025 |newspaper=Der Standard |language=de-AT}} As lead candidate, Vilimsky would lead the FPÖ to win its first ever nationwide election in Austria, with 25.4% of the vote and 6 seats in the European parliament.{{Cite web |title=Österreich – Europawahl 2024 |url=https://www.bundeswahlen.gv.at/2024/eu/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=www.bundeswahlen.gv.at}}

Following the 2024 European elections, as most of the ID member parties moved to join the new Patriots for Europe group (with the main exception of the Czech SPD, which would join the ESN group), Vilimsky would lead the FPÖ delegation to join the Patriots for Europe.{{Cite web |date=30 June 2024 |title="Patrioten für Europa": Kickl (FPÖ), Orbán (Fidesz), Babiš (ANO) gaben Startschuss für neue patriotische Allianz! {{!}} FPÖ Team Europa |url=https://www.fpoe.eu/patrioten-fuer-europa-kickl-fpoe-orban-fidesz-babis-ano-gaben-startschuss-fuer-neue-patriotische-allianz/ |access-date=10 February 2025 |language=de-DE}} Vilimsky would become one of the vice-presidents of the Patriots group.{{Cite web |last=Patriots.eu |first=European Political Party |title=European Political Party Patriots.eu |url=https://patriots.eu/bureau |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=European Political Party Patriots.eu |language=fr-BE}}

In July 2024, Vilimsky described the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola and the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, as a "trio of political witches who are leading this continent into the abyss and we will make them feel the whip." Vilimsky's comments were condemned by all other major Austrian political parties.{{Cite web |last=josef.gebhard |date=18 July 2024 |title="Hexentrio": FPÖ-Mandatar Vilimsky sorgt mit sexistischem Sager für Empörung |url=https://kurier.at/politik/inland/harald-vilimsky-fpoe-eu-parlament-ursula-von-der-leyen/402926235 |access-date=10 February 2025 |website=kurier.at |language=de}}{{Cite news |last=Wenzel |first=Julia |date=18 July 2024 |title=EU-Politikerinnen auspeitschen: Vilimskys Gewaltfantasien müssen... |url=https://www.diepresse.com/18679244/eu-politikerinnen-auspeitschen-vilimskys-gewaltfantasien-muessen-konsequenzen-haben |access-date=10 February 2025 |newspaper=Die Presse |language=de}}{{Cite news |title=Was tun mit einem Vilimsky? |url=https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/3000000229200/was-tun-mit-einem-vilimsky |access-date=10 February 2025 |newspaper=Der Standard |language=de-AT}}

In January 2025, Vilimsky argued that it would be a good thing to leave the WHO.{{Cite web |title=Ausführliche Sitzungsberichte - Schlussfolgerungen der Tagung des Europäischen Rates vom 19. Dezember 2024 (Aussprache) - Mittwoch, 22. Januar 2025 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-10-2025-01-22-INT-2017011309684_DE.html |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=de}} A month later, he called for the reduction of the European Commission from 27 members to 18 members, while criticizing the Commission's regulatory policy.{{Cite web |title=Ausführliche Sitzungsberichte - Arbeitsprogramm der Kommission für 2025 (Aussprache) - Mittwoch, 12. Februar 2025 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-10-2025-02-12-INT-2017014905648_DE.html |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=www.europarl.europa.eu |language=de}}

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Delegation for relations with the United States

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport
• Delegation for relations with the United States

• Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
• Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee
• Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

Vilimsky is married and has a daughter.

In 2025 he was awarded the Order of the Serbian Flag.{{Cite web |title=Вучић: Сада када је Србија нападнута споља потребна нам је саборност |url=https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/661570/vucic-sada-kada-je-srbija-napadnuta-spolja-potrebna-nam-je-sabornost |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Politika Online}}

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Category:1966 births

Category:Living people

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