Populism, proporz, pariah: austria turns right austrian political change, its causes and repercussions

How could a small, affluent and peaceful nation, whose name usually conjures up images of snow-capped peaks and Waltz music and whose democratic credentials have never been questioned, suddenly become an international pariah? How could nearly a third of Austrians vote for a political party that was denounced by virtually all democratic governments around the world? How could an Austrian political system that was engineered to safeguard stability, cohesion, and political consensus produce a politician who seemed to thrive on confrontation and divisiveness? How could 14 European nations impose sanctions with so little forethought that they achieved almost the opposite of what had been intended? It is questions like these that this book seeks to explore.

Introduction: Exceptionalism, Myth and Pariah, Chapter 1: The Deep Structures of Austrian Politics-Constructing Consensus, Chapter 2: Setting the Stage-The Kreisky Coalition of the 1970's, Chapter 3: Breaking the Mold and the Rise of New Parties, Chapter 4: The Austrian Conservatives-Opportunity and Failure, Chapter 5: Freedom Party-Ideology, Leadership and Organization, Chapter 6: Freedom Party-Strategy, Policies and Programmatic Positions, Chapter 7: The International Context, Chapter 8: Coalition Effects-SPO. OVP. FPO from 1986 to 1999, Chapter 9: The End of Era-Issue Politics and Political Change, Chapter 10: Political Change-Its Orchestration and Consequences, Conclusion, Index