VIENNA, Austria – Austria’s President Thomas Klestil has died of heart failure just two days before his term was due to end.
The 71-year-old Klestil, who had been president for 12 years, was in intensive care in a Vienna hospital after suffering heart failure on Monday.
His successor, Heinz Fischer, will take the oath of office on Thursday as planned after winning elections earlier this year.
Klestil was barred by the constitution from running for a third term. His mostly ceremonial role as president was to end on Thursday.
Hospital director Reinhard Krepler told the Austria Press Agency that Klestil was surrounded by his family when he died.
Klestil’s heart stopped beating on Monday as he was being flown by helicopter to Vienna’s General Hospital after being found unconscious.
He was admitted in critical condition, and doctors said they could not rule out brain damage as a possible result of lack of oxygen before hospital staff got his heart functioning again.
In 1996, Klestil suffered from a severe case of pneumonia, and his lung problems had turned serious again in recent days.
Born in November 4, 1932 to the son of a tram worker, Klestil took office in 1992 after receiving nearly 57 percent of the vote and won re-election in 1998.
Before he became president, Klestil served as the Austrian ambassador to the United Nations and as the ambassador to the United States.
Klestil brought calm to an office frayed by controversy surrounding his predecessor’s past in the Nazi army.
Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel assumed the presidential duties when Klestil fell ill.