NationStates Jolt Archive

The Republic of Austria


http://www.crwflags.com/art/countries1/austria.gif

Background:

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

FACTS

Population: 8.1 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Vienna
Area: 83,871 sq km (32,383 sq miles)
Major language: German
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 76 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Euro = 100 cents
Main exports: Machinery, metals, paper, textiles, food, livestock
GNI per capita: US $32,300 (World Bank, 2005)
Internet domain: .at
International dialling code: +43

LEADERS

President:Heinz Fischer
Chancellor:Heinz-Christian Strache
Foreign minister:Ursula Haubner
Interior minister:Anton Reinthaller
Finance minister:Friedrich Peter

Austria Monday kicked off the election for a new parliament.


The outcome of the election is expected to be announced on Tuesday night.

After months of infighting within the Freedom Party, the rightist populist component in the outgoing coalition government, Federal Chancellor of Austria Wolfgang Scheussel asked in early January to dissolve the parliament and hold early parliamentary elections. Scheussel is also leader of the co-ruling conservative People's Party.

The current parliament's four-year term expires in October this year. The opposition Social Democratic Party now holds 65 seats in the 183-member parliament, the Freedom Party and the People's Party have 52 seats each and the opposition Greens Party holds 14.

Latest surveys showed that the Freedom Party have high hopes of winning around 50 percent of the vote and becoming the largest party in parliament, trailed by the Social Democratic Party and People's Party with 30 percent and the Green Party with about 10 percent of support.

Analysts said the most likely scenarios could be a renewed People's party- Freedom Party coalition or an alliance of the Socialist Democratic Party and the Green Party.

Many Austrians favor a stable new government which can devote itself to reviving a sluggish economy and tackling high unemployment in the country, they said.

France extends some encouragement to Austria as they prepare to undergo elections, and to victor, we also send a warm welcome for many years of fruitful cooperationn between our two countries.

Unofficially, the Danish opinion is that an alliance of the social democrats and the greens would be the best option.

Officially, the Danish government wishes their socialist friends good luck, but hope for fair elections that will reflect the wishes of the Austrian people. We extend a warm welcome to the parties that win the election.

Landslide Victory For Freedom Party Of Austria

The early general elections in Austria held on 12 March saw a huge victory for the Far Right Freedom Party of Heinz-Christian Strache, getting 48.3 % of the votes and becoming the largest party for the first time. With a clear victory, the Freedom Party are only days away from forming a government for the first time in the party's history. The likely scenario is that the party's leader Heinz-Christian Strache will become Chancellor of Austria, Ursula Haubner as Foreign Minister, Anton Reinthaller as Interior minister and Friedrich Peter as Finance minister. The Presidential Elections are suppost to be held sometime later in 2012.

Some of the Party's Policies include:

An increase in direct democracy
A Europe of nation states
The establishment of a "Core Europe" within the EU, including Austria
Support for the social market economy
Minimum employment and environmental standards for businesses
The introduction of the Tobin tax
Support for small businesses
Increased government spending on military and technology
A minimum wage
Enhancing the status of vocational education (including an apprenticeship leading to the Matura)
The introduction of a flat tax
Tax breaks for childcare costs
An EU-wide Green tax shift
Strict control of immigration
A "fair and strict" law on asylum
A referendum on Austrian neutrality
Comprehensive schooling for children from six to fifteen
Compulsory pre-schooling
Compulsory German lessons for the children of immigrants
Support for organic farming
The renationalisation of agriculture
The abolition of inheritance tax

The Republic of France welcomes this change in Austria's government, as we hope for many years of success and prosperous cooperation.

Austria: Government limits democratic rights and boosts military spending

http://www.bmlv.gv.at/images_skaliert/fern_der_heimat_768x512_1133961829.jpg

The rightwing-conservative government in Austria feels its position has been strengthened following the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The entire political establishment is committed to a more aggressive foreign and domestic policy. Both government and opposition agree on using the attacks to further restrict democratic rights and to boost Austria’s armed forces. The traditionally neutral country in future wants to participate in international military actions.

Suddenly the long-running debate in Austria over a new foreign policy orientation received a fresh impulse. Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache repeatedly stated that there could be no neutrality in the fight against terrorism and has been aiming to end Austrian neutrality by moving closer to NATO(possibly by applying for membership in the near future).

The Republic a del Peru would be interested in acquiring 100 Pandur II 8x8 IFVs for our bome defense force. We are quite impresed by its versatility and mobility, and our military commanders feel that the Pandur II is the best such vehicle on the world market. Please respond as soon a convenient for you. We look foward to doing bussiness with you in the future.
-Peru's Minister of Defense

(OOC: If you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, look it up on the army-technology website - no idea how much one costs, though)

SIC:
Australia wishes to purchase 100 Pandur II 8x8 IFVs.

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/pandurII/images/PandurII1.jpg

(OOC: Huh? Don't you already HAVE IFVs?)

(OOC: Huh? Don't you already HAVE IFVs?)

OOC: We gave all 700 to the Somalian Police so they can secure the nation until things have cooled down. We have nothing for 5-7 years in the terms of ground. Tanks, APCs, vehicles...we didn't have the ships to bring it all back home, so we took our troops and left. Disadvantage....but no military would do that unless they are overly confident in their nation to start from scratch with fresh ones we started to produce....of the same type! XD

OOC: We gave all 700 to the Somalian Police so they can secure the nation until things have cooled down. We have nothing for 5-7 years in the terms of ground. Tanks, APCs, vehicles...we didn't have the ships to bring it all back home, so we took our troops and left. Disadvantage....but no military would do that unless they are overly confident in their nation to start from scratch with fresh ones we started to produce....of the same type! XD

(OOC: So...If we like...attack you now...you wouldn't be able to put up a credible counter-attack? That's just silly.)

OOC: *Thinks evil thoughts*;)

OOC: We gave all 700 to the Somalian Police so they can secure the nation until things have cooled down. We have nothing for 5-7 years in the terms of ground. Tanks, APCs, vehicles...we didn't have the ships to bring it all back home, so we took our troops and left. Disadvantage....but no military would do that unless they are overly confident in their nation to start from scratch with fresh ones we started to produce....of the same type! XD

[ooc: that's just plain stupid...why not give them all of the tanks? why not leave the fleet with the Somalian people? Heck, why not leave that entire army in Somalia under the command of Somalian generals?]

[ooc: that's just plain stupid...why not give them all of the tanks? why not leave the fleet with the Somalian people? Heck, why not leave that entire army in Somalia under the command of Somalian generals?]

(OOC: YEAH!)

OCC: If you guys havent noticed the 21C RP has been moved to another forum. http://www.atfreeforum.com/21c/index.php?mforum=21c

So go on there nd sign up and you'll find my Austria D/N on there and we can settle buying of arms on there since i wont be active on this forum any longer. Thank you.