Was 89 years old

Former President of the National Council Gerulf Stix has died

The Austrian Parliament in Vienna(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER / APA / picturedesk.com)

The former Third President of the National Council, Gerulf Stix, died on Thursday at the age of 89. This was announced by Tyrol's FPÖ leader Markus Abwerzger. Stix was Third President of the National Council from 1983 to 1990 and had previously been a member of the National Council for more than 18 years.

He headed the Tyrolean FPÖ provincial party from 1973 to 1985. Stix was born in Vienna, graduated from high school in Innsbruck and studied economics. He also worked as an economic advisor and, in his political heyday, was also deputy federal party leader. He would have been 90 years old on January 28.

"The death of Gerulf Stix is a great loss. He was a very active honorary chairman. We were in very good contact and he was always an important advisor to me," said Abwerzger. Other politicians also expressed their sadness. "Stix was a liberal veteran, he was a democrat and patriot in the best sense (...). He was also an opponent of nuclear power - this attitude is now an unshakeable consensus in the Austrian party landscape," said National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ).

Gerulf Stix(Bild: Franz Johann Morgenbesser )

"Regardless of his political position, Gerulf Stix always filled it with the greatest commitment and was also a great liberal pioneer and visionary in many areas. It is largely thanks to him that the FPÖ became the first 'environmental party' in Austria back in the 1960s and 1970s under the motto 'Environmental protection is homeland protection'," said FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.

The Third President of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ), said in a statement that Stix was "respected across party lines due to his understanding of his office". Her condolences go to his family.