Leopold Wagner (1927, Klagenfurt – 26 September 2008) was an Austrian politician of the Social Democratic Party of Austria, Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), serving as governor (''Landeshauptmann'') of Carinthia (state), Carinthia from 1974 to 1988. Wagner was governor of Carinthia for three consecutive terms, with an absolute majority in the Landtag of Carinthia, state parliament each time, making him the only Carinthian governor with such a lengthy period of unchallenged rule. Along with his deputies, Erwin Frühbauer and Rudolf Gallob, he modernized the state considerably, and was considered a leading figure in its post-World War II politics. He was controversial within his generally left-wing party, however, for his populism, populist, nationalist tone. He replaced Hans Sima as governor amidst a wave of popular nostalgia for German nationalism in Austria, pan-German and nationalist sentiment, which he took advantage of by speaking unapologetically of his former high-ranking position in the Hitler Youth, and inveighing against Carinthian Slovenes, Carinthia's Slovene minority. He stepped down as governor in 1988, after being shot and seriously wounded in late 1987 at his 40th high school reunion, during a dispute with a former classmate. His populist nationalism is seen as a forerunner for that of Jörg Haider, who took over as governor of Carinthia a year later, in 1989.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagner, Leopold 1927 births 2008 deaths Politicians from Klagenfurt Governors of Carinthia (state) Social Democratic Party of Austria politicians Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Hitler Youth members