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The Unloved Democracy of the Inter-War Period |
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Page 11 of 11
The Winds of Change in Austria and Europe
With the collapse of Communism in the countries of Eastern Europe, Austria was no longer positioned at the junction of two different social systems. This change necessitated a re-orientation of Austria's foreign and security policy. The fall of the Iron Curtain met with great emotional approval; many Austrians who had fled Eastern Europe in 1989 now witnessed with satisfaction the end of the hated regime.
When in the 1990s the multiracial state of Yugoslavia disintegrated because of its national differences and the changed expectations of its peoples, Austria had already issued early warnings about the consequences of these developments. To help the victims of these wars it set up the exemplary "Nachbar in Not" (Neighbor in Need) relief program, which rendered much-needed assistance both in the Bosnian war and during the fighting in Kosovo in 1999.
1989 was a year of change, also for Austria, in that the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time, Alois Mock, handed over to Brussels the formal application of his country for accession to the European Community. This was a historic decision taken by the two parties united in the coalition government. The former reservation of Austria maintaining its neutrality did not encounter any problems in Brussels and in 1993 concrete negotiations began. They progressed rapidly, the only exceptions being in the areas of agriculture and transit traffic, where discussions went on until the very last minute. In a referendum held on 12 June 1994, the Austrian population voted by an impressive majority of 66.4 % for accession to the European Union. Since 1 January 1995, Austria has been a full member of the EU; in the latter half of 1998 it held the Presidency of the EU Council for the first time.
During the past decade the Austrian party landscape has undergone a process of change in that increased voter mobility has shown a trend towards several smaller or medium-sized parties. In 1993, owing to differences of opinion with respect to issues concerning foreigners, five members of the Freedom Party, led by Heide Schmidt, seceded to form their own parliamentary fraction-the "Liberales Forum" (Liberal Forum-LIF). The Freedom Party then enhanced its position at every election. In the National Council elections of 1999 the Freedom Party overtook the conservative People's Party for the first time, thus becoming the second-strongest party in the country with an equal number of seats. The allocation of seats in Parliament now reads: Socialist Party (SPÖ) 65, Freedom Party (FPÖ) 52, People's Party (ÖVP) 52, The Greens 14. The Liberales Forum (LIF) is no longer represented in Parliament. On 4 February 2000, the People´s Party and the Freedom Party together formed a coalition government.
Source: Facts and Figures, Published by the Federal Press Service, 2000.
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