He was born in Radlbrunn, Lower Austria and after obtaining his Matura at Tulln he studied at the University of Natural Resources (BOKU), Vienna.

Great interest was aroused in Europe when he proposed a tax on mobile phone masts in the state of Lower Austria.

Together with the SPÖ he suggested legally regulating mobile phone transmitters, with the aim of reducing the overall number.

[1] The magazine Falter in 2002 reported the response by regional party secretary Ernst Strasser to criticism of Pröll's confession that he had only ever managed to finish one book, Karl May's cowboy novel Der Schatz im Silbersee (The Treasure of Silver Lake): "People like that, at least it shows the governor isn't a know-all.

"[2] In September 2014, in an interview with the newspaper Kurier, he denied any interest in being a candidate for the Presidential election due in 2016, saying the idea left him cold: "My life plan is different".