Office of Crisis Management
The National Security Advisor and the Office of Crisis Management
The Federal Crisis Security Act (Bundes-Krisensicherheitsgesetz – B-KSG) entered into force in Austria on 1 January 2024. It enables optimised and improved coordination of national security and state crisis management at the national level by implementing new structures in order to meet the challenges of modern crises.
At the top of the structures established under the B-KSG are the newly appointed Advisor to the Federal Government in matters pertaining to National Security, National Resilience, Comprehensive National Defence, Crisis Preparedness and Crisis Management – in short, the National Security Advisor – and his deputy. The National Security Advisor and his deputy are being supported by the Office of Crisis Management at the Federal Chancellery and provide the Austrian Federal Government with their expertise.
In addition to their advisory capacity and medium-term strategic planning for Austria, the National Security Advisor and his deputy are tasked with providing
- a crisis radar,
- a protective shield,
- a crisis toolbox
- and objective communication aimed at the population.
These innovations will make future crises in Austria easier to manage as
- they will be detected earlier,
- joint and national solutions can be found more easily, and
- information will be provided in a transparent manner.
The objective of these innovations is to increase the security of Austria and the Austrian population.
National Security Advisor
Dr Peter Vorhofer was appointed Austria's first National Security Advisor on 26 August 2024, in charge of advising the Federal Government in matters pertaining to national security, national resilience, Comprehensive National Defence, crisis preparedness and crisis management under the Federal Crisis Security Act.
After graduating from secondary technical school, he began his career in the Austrian Armed Forces, where he held various command positions in Austria and abroad after successfully completing officer and general staff training.
In the civilian sector, he studied political science, where he also earned his doctorate, as well as communication and journalism.
He has extensive experience in security and defence policy. Prior to his current position as National Security Advisor, he was head of the Directorate of Defence Policy and International Relations as well as deputy head of the Directorate General for Defence Policy at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence.
The Deputy National Security Advisor
Andreas Schlegel was appointed Austria's first Deputy National Security Advisor on 26 August 2024, in charge of a designated portfolio within the Federal Crisis Security Act in order to advise the Federal Government in matters pertaining to national security, national resilience, Comprehensive National Defence, crisis preparedness and crisis management.
He completed officer and general staff training in the Austrian Armed Forces. In addition to his military training, he earned his doctorate in legal studies at the University of Vienna.
His career is characterised by leadership experience in command positions and management roles at the ministerial level. Additionally, he has experience in intelligence as well as security and defence policy in an international environment. This includes a deployment in Afghanistan, several years of service in the United States and his work in international organisations such as NATO.
Until his current position as Deputy National Security Advisor, he was head of the Organisation Division at the Federal Ministry of Defence, where he was responsible for organisational management and human resources.