Othmar Karas
Author · 2 books
Othmar Karas (born 1957) is an Austrian politician of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). He served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2024 and was elected to its Bureau three times. He also served as First Vice-President of the European Parliament and is regarded as the longest-serving Austrian member of the institution. In 1998, Karas became president of Hilfswerk Österreich. He also founded the non-partisan association BürgerInnen Forum Europa and served as its chairman. His political work has focused on Europe, the economy, migration and asylum.