Social democrat party of Austria

The Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) is the great social democrat party of Austria. Its adversary of right-hand side, ÖVP (popular party), lost with its profit the station of federal Chancelier following the elections of October 1st 2006: it indeed obtained 35,3% of the voices compared with 34,2% with the conservatives, who cannot thus control any more with the Extreme-right-hand side, divided in 2 rival parties since 2005: the country thus turns over to the alliance which had controlled the country of 1986 with 1999: alliance right-hand side-left.

With the difference of the ÖVP, the SPÖ always refused to him to form electoral alliances or of coalition with FPÖ since 1986 and its populist and xenophobe turn (with Jörg Haider at its head, which since created BZÖ, remained only ally with the ÖVP), which explains its absence of the businesses from this date and in 2007.

It controls 4 of the 9 landers. The Austrian current political life is articulated almost according to a diagram of three-party government, even if the right extrème is divided and even if regional disparities are large.

Alfred Gusenbauer, the general secretary of the SPÖ since March 2005 became chancellor of Austria the January 11th 2007, following difficult negotiations with the democratic Christians, outcome with a government where the two parties are with equality.

External bond

Official site of the SPÖ

Simple: Social Democratic Party off Austria

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