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 1982 – 16 May 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Frank Schellscheidt |
| Succeeded by | Wolfgang Löscher |
| Minister-President of Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken | |
| In office 5 December 1972 – 4 June 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Gustav Marek |
| Succeeded by | Ernst Stemmler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 14, 1927 Adalbertstadt, Silberküste Now Kanyabahayadha, Masari |
| 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 | Masarian War for Independence Kirenian-Weranian War |
Ludolf Franz Ostermann (November 14, 1927) is a Weranian politician who served as Chancellor of Werania form 1984 to 1992. He was also the leader of Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania (SRPO) from 1982 to 1992 and Minister-President of Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken from 1972 to 1982. Ostermann sat in the Volkstag from 1984 to his retirement from active politics in 1992.
Ostermann was a dietsman born in Silberküste (modern day Masari, Ostermann joined the airforce in 1945 where he fought in the Masarian War for Independence and Kirenian-Weranian War. Following the independence of Masari Ostermann moved to the metropole and in 1956 became a member of the Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken Landtag as a member of the Social Democratic Party of Werania. Proving himself to be a popular and innovative Landtag member Ostermann became Minister-President in 1972. As Minister-President he proved himself to be an effective economic moderniser who also expanded social programmes. Ostermann 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 in 1982 was elected as SRPO leader and led the party to win the 1984 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 1992 he was ousted as Prime Minister by party opponents led by Westbrücken Mayor Wolfgang Löscher. Ostermann retired following the 1991 election. Ostermann has continued to comment on political issues.
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".