[EVENT] [RETRO] Political Developments

Political Developments in Austria - 1954

Federation of Independents (VdU)

Initially the prospects for the Federation of Independents going into the 1953 Federal elections had looked relatively positive. The annexation of Burgenland, and subsequent massacre, had driven a surge in nationalist sentiment in Austria, which the VdU had exploited to drive a shock result in the 1950 Presidential election. While they did not win, or even make it to the second round, all indications had suggested the VdU was on course to become a third force in Austrian politics.

However, the successful return of Burgenland and ratification of the Austrian State Treaty so soon before the 1953 election had somewhat curbed this growth. While the VdU did grow, increasing their share of seats in the National Council by 2 to a total of 18, this was not what some higher up members in the party had hoped for.

This, of course, led to finger pointing and infighting between the two main wings of the party. The nationalists argued that the VdU had not gone far enough in its stance on Burgenland, being beaten out by the OVP who had better courted the nationalist vote. Thus they pointed the blame squarely on the liberals, painting them as too moderate. On the other hand, the liberals would blame the nationalists, accusing them of alienating the moderate voters who make up the vast majority of the Austrian electorate.

Internal chaos such as this could not be controlled by the VdU's leadership. As a loose federation of those who did not align with either the two dominant post-war ideologies, Social Democracy and Christian Democracy, party discipline was weak. This led to a lack of a coherent ideological long-term program, which was only exacerbated by the end of Allied occupation, of which resistance to had been a key part of the VdU's platform. Therefore, the VdU leadership found it necessary to perform a complete rebrand of the party to reestablish it as a formal political party, rather than a loose federation of political outcasts.

In early 1954, the VdU leadership, along with a few small upstart parties that did not yet have representation in the national council, prepared for the foundation of a new party under a new name. The name "Freedom Party of Austria" was chosen, aimed at demonstrating the ideological routes of the party - an emphasis on freedom of the individual in a traditional liberal sense.

At the founding party congress Friedrich Peter would be elected to the position of Party Chairman with Gustav Zeillinger elected to the position of Vice Chairman. Anton Reinthaller had initially been expected to take the position of Party Chairman, however the more moderate, liberal Peter was selected, primarily due to a desire to move away from the VdU's past links to ex-Nazis and German nationalism. It is likely that Reinthaller will remain active behind the scenes, however.

Communist Party of Austria (KPO)

It is safe to say that the early 1950s had been a disaster for the political aspirations of the Austrian Communist party. The decision to stick to Moscow's line on the Burgenland issue had essentially destroyed any hope of electoral success, even without this the actions of the Soviet Union had discredited Communism as an ideology in the eyes of many of Austrians.

Due to this internal dissent began to spread in the Communist party against the Soviet Union, and the current General Secretary Johann Koplenig, even reaching as high as some central committee members. A conspiracy would thus be formed to remove Koplenig from power, headed by reformist intellectuals, Franz Marek and Ernst Fischer.

It was at the first central committee meeting of the year 1954 that the reformists would spring their trap. Having already reached an agreement with the required politburo members behind the scenes before the meeting, a resolution was added to the agenda aimed at "assessing the work of the party leadership". Everyone in the party knew what this really meant. The resolution was adopted by a majority of central committee members, with some abstentions that were likely coerced.

Ernst Fischer was immediately nominated and elected as Koplenig's successor. His first action was to follow the other Communist parties of Western Europe and break with Moscow, announcing the full independence of the Austrian Communist party. Likewise, he announced the renaming of the party to the "Austrian Worker's Party" and a move away from Soviet style Communism towards a democratic socialist model, pledging to achieve socialism via the ballot box.

He made sure to emphasise that this Austrian Worker's Party would be significantly ideological different from the established Social Democratic Party. While the Social Democrats seek to manage capitalism, the Austrian Worker's Party aims to see to its overthrow through engaging in the electoral system, aiming to transform the system rather than operate within it.

Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO)

Humiliated through the devastating loss to the OVP which saw the breakdown of the Grand Coalition, and the internal rebellion over the Habsburg law vote, SPO leader Adolf Scharf was under increasing pressure.

It was decided that he would resign as party leader, but remain an influential force inside the party. He would remain in the National Council, lending his endorsement to Bruno Pittermann who would be selected by the party as its next leader.