|
|||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
Country : Austria Official name: Republik Österreich (Republic of Austria) |
Historical profile
For centuries the Austrian (later Austro-Hungarian) Empire covered most of central Europe.
1918 After the Austro-Hungarian Empire was defeated in the First World War, the first Austrian Republic was declared; three-quarters of the Empire's territory was ceded to neighbouring states.
1933 Pro-fascist Engelbert Dollfuss (elected federal chancellor in 1932) gained dictatorial powers and banned all political opposition to his Vaterländische Front (VF) (Fatherland Front). Dollfuss forged a strong relationship with fascist Italy in an attempt to preserve Austria's independence.
1934 The government put down an uprising by Socialists in February. Dollfuss was assassinated in July by Austrian Nazis, who had been conspiring to oust the government and integrate Austria with Nazi Germany.
1938 The new chancellor, Kurt Von Schuschnigg, met with Adolf Hitler in an attempt to preserve Austria's independence. After refusing to meet Hitler's demands for concessions for the banned Austrian Nazi Party, Von Schuschnigg resigned as chancellor and was replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart (leader of the Austrian Nazi Party). In March, Austria was integrated with Nazi Germany. Austria was renamed Ostmark.
1945 After Nazi Germany was defeated in the Second World War; Austria re-emerged as an independent state but was divided into four zones of occupation by the US, UK, France and USSR. The conservative Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) (Austrian People's Party) and the Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) (Social Democratic Party of Austria) formed a coalition government.
1955 The 1955 State Treaty confirmed Austria's independence and banned re-integration with Germany. Austria joined the UN, declared its neutrality and the occupation forces withdrew.
1960 Austria joined the European Free Trade Area (EFTA).
1966 The ÖVP came to power after 20 years of a coalition.
1970–87 The SPÖ was in power until 1983, when it formed a coalition government with the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) (Freedom Party of Austria).
1986 The presidential election was won by Kurt Waldheim (independent but with ÖVP's backing). Controversy surrounded allegations of his implication in Nazi atrocities in the Balkans (1942–45), culminating in his listing as an undesirable alien by the US Department of Justice.
1987 Following an inconclusive election, the SPÖ and the ÖVP formed a coalition.
1992 Waldheim stepped down and was replaced by Thomas Klestil.
1995 Austria joined the EU. The one-year-old governing coalition collapsed over the 1996 budget.
1997 Franz Vranitsky led the government as chancellor from 1995 until his resignation in 1997, when he was replaced by Viktor Klima.
1998 Federal President Thomas Klestil was re-elected for a second term of office.
1999 After indecisive election results, the ÖVP-SPÖ coalition collapsed, leading to a coalition between the ÖVP and the FPÖ.
2000 The ÖVP's Wolfgang Schüssel became chancellor. The inclusion of the FPÖ in the government led to EU diplomatic sanctions against Austria, which were formally lifted in September.
2002 After three FPÖ ministers resigned, Schüssel announced that ÖVP was withdrawing from the coalition government. The ÖVP won the snap election.
2003 Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel's coalition government was sworn in: the ÖVP and the right-wing populist FPÖ, with more power to the ÖVP than in the previous coalition.
2004 Heinz Fischer (SPÖ) won the 25 April presidential elections. On 6 July, President Thomas Klestil died after being critically ill for some time; Heinz Fischer was sworn in as president on 8 July.
2005 The government of Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel survived a no-confidence vote on 5 April.
There's no web links here.
| Add a Listing Update a Listing Upgrade a Listing - Copyright © 2007 Simple-Directory.com | ||||||||||||
| China Manufacturer Directory | Alive Web Directory | Kerala real estate | Kerala Web Directory | ||||||||||||
 |