Ludolf Ostermann
Ludolf Franz Ritter von Ostermann | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait of Ludolf Ostermann | |
| 36th Chancellor of Werania | |
| In office 8 June 1983 – 16 August 1991 | |
| Monarch | Otto XII |
| Preceded by | Rudolf Wiefelspütz |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Löscher |
| Federal Chairman of the Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania | |
| In office 4 June 1977 – 16 August 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Post created |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Löscher |
| Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Werania | |
| In office 5 December 1975 – 4 June 1977 | |
| Preceded by | Gustav Marek |
| Succeeded by | Post abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 14, 1927 Vöckdorf, Cislania, Werania |
| Died | June 15, 2016 (aged 88) Westbrücken, Werania |
| Political party | SPO, SRPO |
| Spouse(s) | Erika Spielmann (1952-1995) Veronika Nesselrode (1997-2016) |
| Children | 4 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Werania |
| Service/ | Air force |
| Years of service | 1945–1950 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant |
| Battles/wars | Swetanian-Weranian War |
Ludolf Franz Ostermann (November 14, 1927 - June 15, 2016, aged 88) was a Weranian politician who served as Chancellor of Werania form 1983 to 1991. He was also the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Werania (SPO) from 1975 to 1977 and its successor party the Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania (SRPO) from 1977 to 1991. Ostermann sat in the Volkstag from 1955 to his retirement from active politics in 1991.
Having fought in the Swetanian-Weranian War as a member of Reichwehr, Ostermann in 1955 became a member of the Volkstag. Proving himself to be a popular and innovative Volkstag member Ostermann became a leading figure of the party's modernising wing. Ostermann soon became SPO leader Gustav Marek's chief party rival; after Marek lost the 1975 election Ostermann ousted him as leader. As SPO leader he pushed for a merger between the SPO and the Radical Party to form the Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania (SRPO) in 1977. Ostermann subsequently led the SPRO to win the 1983 election in a coalition with the Weranic Section of the Workers' International (OSAI) beating the National Consolidation Party.
Being elected on a avowedly socialist programme Ostermann implemented radical economic policies, nationalising key strategic industries and attempting to guide the economy through price and wage controls. These measures did not increase economic growth and saw the government become estranged from the Euclean Community worried about Werania's debt and inflation issues. As such in 1986, a year before the next federal election Ostermann undertook a radical u-turn in economic policy emphasising the privatisation of state-owned enterprise, deregulation of economic sectors especially banking and housing and liberalising labour laws. These policies are considered to have laid the groundwork of late 1980's economic recovery. The policies saw the SPRO lose ground in the 1987 election as the OSAI collapsed as a political force; as a result Ostermann formed a purple government with the Modern Centre Party.
In his second government Ostermann proposed deeper Euclean integration and several pioneering socially liberal policies, decriminalising homosexuality and abortion and promoting more comprehensive women's rights. In 1990 his popularity declined as his Minister of Finance and the Economy Lothar Holzmeister resigned due to differences in economic policy. In 1991 he was ousted as Prime Minister by party opponents led by Westbrücken Mayor Wolfgang Löscher. Ostermann retired following the 1991 election. Ostermann continued to comment on political issues until his death from a heart attack in 2016 aged 88.
As Werania's longest serving centre-left Chancellor, Ostermann was considered a controversial figure in Weranian politics. His supporters laud his economic reforms as having led to the prosperous Weranian economy of the 1990's and 2000's, that he was a crucial figure in supporting Euclean integration and that he was a pragmatic and shrewd politician being one of the most successful social democratic leaders in history. Ostermann's opponents meanwhile accuse his government of leading to greater inequality and social division, for overseeing the "neoliberalisation" of the left and later in his tenure be willing to turn back on his electoral promises to sponsor the coalition government. The Statesmen newspaper characterised Ostermann as "undisputedly the most important Weranian Prime Minister since the war".