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Page 7 of 14
Politics
Until 1918 Viennese politics were shaped by the Christian Social Party, in particular long-term mayor Karl Lueger. Today Vienna is considered the centre of Social Democracy in Austria. During the period of the First Republic (1918-1934) the Vienna Social Democrats induced a number of overdue social reforms, improving the life standard of the working class in the city. At that time Vienna's municipal policy was admired by Socialists throughout Europe, who therefore referred to the city as Red Vienna (Rotes Wien).
 Since the end of the First World War the city has been governed by the Social Democratic Party with absolute majorities in the city parliament. Only between 1934 and 1945, when the Social Democratic Party was illegal, mayors were appointed by the austro-fascist and later by the Nazi authorities. Current mayor of Vienna is Michael Häupl. The Social Democrats currently hold 55% of the seats with a 49% share of the vote.[6] An example of the city’s many social democratic policies is its low-cost residential estates called Gemeindebauten.
Ever since Vienna obtained federal state (Bundesland) status of its own in 1921, the mayor has also had the role of the state governor (Landeshauptmann). The Rathaus accommodates the offices of the mayor and the state government (Landesregierung). The city is administered by a multitude of departments (Magistratsabteilungen).
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