Federal Minister of the Interior

Maria Theresia Fekter, born on 1 February 1956 in Attnang-Puchheim, Upper Austria, completed the Commercial Academy in Vöcklabruck and studied Law (Doctor of Laws in 1979) and Business Administration (Master of Social and Economic Sciences in 1982) at the Johannes Kepler University Linz. After graduation she joined her parents' company as managing director. In parallel, she started her political career as local councillor in Attnang-Puchheim in 1986.
In November 1990 Mrs. Fekter became a Member of Parliament and from 17 December 1990 until 29 November 1994 she held her first government post as State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs.

In November 1994 she resumed her position in Parliament and as chairwoman of the Judicial Committee she dealt intensively with judicial and security policy from 1995 until her appointment as Ombudswoman on 1 July 2007.

On 1 July 2008 Mrs. Fekter was sworn in as Federal Minister of the Interior by the Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer.

Dr. Mag. Maria Fekter is married and has a grown-up daughter.