Austrian conservative Sebastian Kurz is all set to become the world’s youngest leader at just 31. With his People’s Party (OeVP) sealing a coalition deal with the far-right Friday, Kurz will be sworn in as the chancellor this week
World’s youngest leader
The takeover of the OeVP in May by “Emperor Kurz” was as swift as it was radical. First he ended the decade-long unhappy coalition with the Social Democrats (SPOe). Then he rebranded the OeVP and its black party colour as a turquoise “movement” tough on migrants and easy on taxes, according to AFP
The strategy of “putting Austrians first” propelled the sluggish OeVP to pole position in opinion polls and Kurz to near-rock star status. Wherever he went in the election campaign, fans sporting turquoise T-shirts would chant his name and women asked if they can hug him
The only child of a secretary and a teacher, Kurz joined the OeVP’s youth wing in 2003
He became the secretary of integration in 2011 and foreign minister two years later, aged 27
Old not gold in Europe?
Kurz is one of the many young leaders in Europe. France’s Macron is 39 and so was Matteo Renzi when he became Italy’s prime minister. Estonia’s Taavi Roivas who was the country’s prime minister from 2014-2016 is still only 38