Former mayor Häupl breaks his silence over Parkinson's!

Former mayor Häupl breaks his silence over Parkinson's!

Michael Häupl, the former mayor of Vienna, openly commented on his Parkinson's disease. In an interview with Patrick Budgen in the ORF program "Vienna today", Häupl explained that he received the diagnosis about nine months ago. Despite the challenges of the disease, he emphasized that he was "very good". He noticed the first sign, a tremor in the right hand, and then went to a neurological examination. The treating doctor stated a slight form of severe neurodegenerative illness and at the same time offered encouragement: "The bad news is: they have Parkinson's. The two are good news: they will not die from the disease and they will not die," reported the former mayor, as well as Orf reported.

lifestyle and therapy

To deal with his diagnosis, Häupl relies on a healthy lifestyle: "For the time being I don't need any medication. I do movement and sport." His weekly training plan includes regular ergometer and special exercises with a trembling ball. With regard to the reactions of the public to his illness, he explained that it was important to clear out misunderstandings: "I know the souls of some Viennese who say: Now he trembles because he drank too much." Häupl made it clear that tremors are not associated with alcohol consumption, but with the disease.

The interview will be broadcast on Saturday in the ORF program "Wien Today" and is also available in a long version on the website of