Luis Durnwalder
Encyclopedia
Luis Durnwalder is a politician of Italy
, governor of the multilingual autonomous province of South Tyrol
, and vice-president of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Northern Italy
.
. After attending school in Pfalzen and Brixen
, he originally planned to enter an Augustinian
choir at the Neustift monastery
in Brixen; however, Durnwalder decided instead to study law
and agriculture
. During this time he began his political activity and became chairman of the student group Südtiroler Hochschülerschaft (until 1965).
In 1969, he became mayor
of his home municipality and in 1973 delegate
to the provincial state assembly; he was Regional Counsellor for the Land Register from 1973 to 1978. At that time he also worked as director of the farmers' association, Südtiroler Bauernbund, and moved to Bozen
, where he lives today. After the 1978 elections, he was promoted to member of the regional government. Since 1989 he has presided over the provincial government as governor (Landeshauptmann
).
Durnwalder is a member of the South Tyrolean People's Party
. In the last two elections he was able to gather more than 100,000 primary votes, meaning that more than a quarter of all voters voted for him.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, governor of the multilingual autonomous province of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
, and vice-president of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, in Northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
.
Biography
Durnwalder was born in PfalzenPfalzen
Pfalzen is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 100 km northeast of Trento and about 50 km northeast of Bolzano.-Geography:...
. After attending school in Pfalzen and Brixen
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
, he originally planned to enter an Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
choir at the Neustift monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Brixen; however, Durnwalder decided instead to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. During this time he began his political activity and became chairman of the student group Südtiroler Hochschülerschaft (until 1965).
In 1969, he became mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of his home municipality and in 1973 delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to the provincial state assembly; he was Regional Counsellor for the Land Register from 1973 to 1978. At that time he also worked as director of the farmers' association, Südtiroler Bauernbund, and moved to Bozen
Bozen
Bozen may refer to:*Bolzano, a bi-lingual northern Italian provincial capital city of which Bozen is the official German name*Bözen, a Swiss municipality*Bożeń, a village in Poland*Bozen Green, a village in Hertfordshire, England...
, where he lives today. After the 1978 elections, he was promoted to member of the regional government. Since 1989 he has presided over the provincial government as governor (Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
).
Durnwalder is a member of the South Tyrolean People's Party
South Tyrolean People's Party
The South Tyrolean People's Party is a regionalist Christian democratic political party active in the Italian province of South Tyrol.Founded in 1945, the SVP represents the German-speaking population of the province, as well as Ladin speakers. Since the first election of the Provincial Council in...
. In the last two elections he was able to gather more than 100,000 primary votes, meaning that more than a quarter of all voters voted for him.