Beatrix Karl

Beatrix Karl (born 10 December 1967) 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.

Beatrix Karl
Member of the National Council
In office
30 October 2006 – 26 January 2010
In office
29 October 2013 – 8 November 2017
Federal Minister for Science and Research
In office
26 January 2010 – 20 April 2011
PresidentHeinz Fischer
ChancellorWerner Faymann
Preceded byJohannes Hahn
Succeeded byKarlheinz Töchterle
Justice Minister of Austria
In office
21 April 2011 – 16 December 2013
Preceded byClaudia Bandion-Ortner
Succeeded byWolfgang Brandstetter
Personal details
Political partyAustrian People's Party

Early life and career

Karl was born in 1967 in Graz, Styria, and grew up in Bad Gleichenberg. She studied law at the University of Graz, completing a Magister degree in 1991 and a doctorate in 1995. She then worked at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy in Munich. Starting in 2001 she was an assistant professor, and full professor from 2003, at her alma mater.[1]

In October 2017 Karl was named vice-rector of the Pädagogische Hochschule Steiermark (University College of Teacher Education Styria) with responsibility for research and development.[2]

Politics

Karl unsuccessfully ran in the 2005 Styrian state election for the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). In the 2006 Austrian legislative election she won a seat on the National Council and was re-elected in 2008. From 2009 – 2010 she was general secretary of the ÖVP's labour organisation (ÖAAB).[1]

On 26 January 2010 Karl was appointed to the cabinet of Werner Faymann, succeeding Johannes Hahn as Federal Minister for Science and Research.[3] She made plans to re-introduce nationwide tuition fees for all university students, among other cost-saving measures.[4]

She moved to lead the Ministry of Justice in an April 2011 cabinet reshuffle.[5] Karl was widely criticised after a 14-year old, who had been incorrectly detained, was sexually assaulted in jail. Critics accused her of ignoring the presumption of innocence,[6] experts stated that lengthy pre-trial detention for minors was unacceptable. She later admitted that her ministry had mishandled the situation.[7]

Karl was not reappointed in the second Faymann government, and resumed her membership of parliament until the 2017 election.[8] She was also a candidate in the 2014 European Parliament election, but the ÖVP did not win enough seats for her to join the European Parliament.[9]

In 2018 she was selected as Austria's government commissioner for Expo 2020 in Dubai.[10]

She is Dame of Honor of the Order of St. George.[11]

References
  1. "Beatrix Karl: Arbeitsrechtlerin übernimmt Problemressort". Der Standard (in German). 19 April 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  2. "Ex-ÖVP-Ministerin Karl neue Vizerektorin an der PH Steiermark". Der Standard (in German). 3 October 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. "Beatrix Karl wird Wissenschaftsministerin". Der Standard (in German). 24 January 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  4. "Studiengebühren: Karl legt Drei-Säulen-Modell vor". Tiroler Tageszeitung (in German). 27 January 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  5. "Beatrix Karl: Pannen überschatten Erfolge". Kurier (in German). 10 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  6. "Vergewaltigt im Gefängnis: Vorerst keine Entschädigung". Die Presse (in German). 27 June 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  7. "Teenager in U-Haft vergewaltigt: Ministerin gibt Fehler zu". Salzburger Nachrichten (in German). 28 June 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  8. "Töchterle muss gehen, Karmasin wird Ministerin". Die Presse (in German). 12 December 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  9. "EU-Kandidatenliste: Steirer-VP zog mit Karl den Kürzeren". Die Presse (in German). 28 February 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  10. "Karl wird Kommissärin für die Weltausstellung in Dubai". Kleine Zeitung (in German). 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  11. Homepage of the St. Georgs Orden
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