A power converter comprising: an inverter unit (103, 203) that includes a plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting an upper arm and a plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting a lower arm, and converts DC power into AC power and outputs the AC power; a gate driving unit that outputs, to the inverter unit, a gate signal used to drive gates of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements of the upper and lower arms and turn on/off the semiconductor switching elements; a driving control unit that supplies the gate driving unit with a switching control signal used for the gate driving unit to output the gate signal; a first abnormality detection unit (107, 107, 111) that detects abnormality of the inverter unit by performing over voltage detection of the DC power and over current detection of the AC power and temperature detection of the upper and lower arms; and a second abnormality detection unit that detects the abnormality of the inverter unit by detecting abnormality of each of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting the upper arm and the plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting the lower arm, wherein the driving control unit includes a first protection circuit unit that performs a protection operation when the first abnormality detection unit (106, 107, 111) detects the abnormality of the inverter unit, and a second protection circuit unit that performs the protection operation when the second abnormality detection unit detects the abnormality of the inverter unit (103, characterized in that the driving control unit further includes a high-order control unit and a control unit that generates the switching control signal based on a signal from the high-order control unit, wherein the first protection circuit unit includes first, second, and third protection circuits (201, 202U, 202L), wherein the second protection circuit unit includes a fourth protection circuit, and wherein the first to fourth protection circuits (201, 202U, 202L, 203) are arranged in series order between the control unit and the gate driving unit. an inverter unit (103, 203) that includes a plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting an upper arm and a plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting a lower arm, and converts DC power into AC power and outputs the AC power; a gate driving unit that outputs, to the inverter unit, a gate signal used to drive gates of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements of the upper and lower arms and turn on/off the semiconductor switching elements; a driving control unit that supplies the gate driving unit with a switching control signal used for the gate driving unit to output the gate signal; a first abnormality detection unit (107, 107, 111) that detects abnormality of the inverter unit by performing over voltage detection of the DC power and over current detection of the AC power and temperature detection of the upper and lower arms; and a second abnormality detection unit that detects the abnormality of the inverter unit by detecting abnormality of each of the plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting the upper arm and the plurality of semiconductor switching elements constituting the lower arm, wherein the driving control unit includes a first protection circuit unit that performs a protection operation when the first abnormality detection unit (106, 107, 111) detects the abnormality of the inverter unit, and a second protection circuit unit that performs the protection operation when the second abnormality detection unit detects the abnormality of the inverter unit (103, characterized in that the driving control unit further includes a high-order control unit and a control unit that generates the switching control signal based on a signal from the high-order control unit, wherein the first protection circuit unit includes first, second, and third protection circuits (201, 202U, 202L), wherein the second protection circuit unit includes a fourth protection circuit, and wherein the first to fourth protection circuits (201, 202U, 202L, 203) are arranged in series order between the control unit and the gate driving unit.