Knittelfeld Putsch
Encyclopedia
Knittelfeld Putsch refers to a conference of the Freedom Party of Austria
(FPÖ) which took place on 7 September 2002 in the small Austria
n town of Knittelfeld
, Styria
, called due to political differences within the party leadership. The events resulted in new elections.
leader Wolfgang Schüssel
, despite the FPÖ having garnered the larger number of votes.
During the summer of 2002, tension rose within the FPÖ, following losses in several local elections. Jörg Haider
, former FPÖ leader and still Landeshauptmann
of Carinthia
, called for changes in government policy to reinvigorate the party's popularity, especially a tax reform
. However, such a reform was out of reach in view of the catastrophic flood of August 2002.
at that time, Susanne Riess-Passer
, was not present. Most of the functionaries attending represented the opposition within the FPÖ of its traditional nationalist right wing.
The key symbolic moment of the meeting was a public tearing of a compromise paper between Riess-Passer and Haider by the Carinthian
delegate Scheuch (some witnesses report that Haider instructed Scheuch to publicly tear the paper, so even though it was Scheuch who actually tore the paper up, it was Haider in reality who was engaging in the destruction of the accord). The following day, Riess-Passer, Minister of Finance Karl-Heinz Grasser
(who was later reappointed in this position by the ÖVP
) and the chairman of the FPÖ parliamentary club, Peter Westenthaler
, announced their resignation, as did some other relatively pragmatic functionaries. Chancellor
Wolfgang Schüssel then renounced the coalition pact, which led to early elections being called, where the FPÖ lost approximately two thirds of its voters of 1999 and fell from 26.9% of the public vote to 10,0%.
, tensions did not subside. In April 2005, Jörg Haider founded the Alliance for the Future of Austria
(BZÖ), a new party, this time with the more pragmatic wing of the party, including all current FPÖ members of the federal government and most of the FPÖ's parliamentary representatives. Since then the BZÖ obtained 4.1% of the vote in the 2006 general election and got 7 seats in the National Council. The FPÖ rose from 10.01% to 11.04 in that election. Since then the FPÖ is growing again, the party received 10,5% in the 2008 Lower Austria "Landtag" (provincial) election, more than doubeling its 2003 result (4,5%). Recent polls show the FPÖ at 18% nationally. The BZÖ also participated in the Lower Austria election, but received only 0,72%, failing to pass the 4% threshold. National polls show the BZÖ at about 4%.
Freedom Party of Austria
The Freedom Party of Austria is a political party in Austria. Ideologically, the party is a direct descendant of the German national liberal camp, which dates back to the 1848 revolutions. The FPÖ itself was founded in 1956 as the successor to the short-lived Federation of Independents , which had...
(FPÖ) which took place on 7 September 2002 in the small Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n town of Knittelfeld
Knittelfeld
Knittelfeld is a city in Styria, Austria, located on the banks of the Mur river.The name of the town has become notorious for the Knittelfeld Putsch of September 7, 2002, a party meeting of the Freedom Party of Austria, which resulted in the 2002 Austrian elections.-External links:* *...
, Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, called due to political differences within the party leadership. The events resulted in new elections.
Background
Following the 1999 elections, the FPÖ became part of a coalition government led by ÖVPOVP
OVP is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:*The Office of the Vice President of the United States*The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines*OVP , a light sub-machine gun developed in Italy...
leader Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel
Wolfgang Schüssel is an Austrian People's Party politician. He was Chancellor of Austria for two consecutive terms from February 2000 to January 2007...
, despite the FPÖ having garnered the larger number of votes.
During the summer of 2002, tension rose within the FPÖ, following losses in several local elections. Jörg Haider
Jörg Haider
Jörg Haider was an Austrian politician. He was Governor of Carinthia on two occasions, the long-time leader of the Austrian Freedom Party and later Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Austria , a breakaway party from the FPÖ.Haider was controversial within Austria and abroad for comments...
, former FPÖ leader and still Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann
Landeshauptmann is a former German gubernatorial title equivalent to that of a governor of a province or a state....
of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
, called for changes in government policy to reinvigorate the party's popularity, especially a tax reform
Tax reform
Tax reform is the process of changing the way taxes are collected or managed by the government.Tax reformers have different goals. Some seek to reduce the level of taxation of all people by the government. Some seek to make the tax system more progressive or less progressive. Some seek to simplify...
. However, such a reform was out of reach in view of the catastrophic flood of August 2002.
Events at Knittelfeld
On September 7, a party meeting was held at Knittelfeld, but the party chair and Vice Chancellor of AustriaVice Chancellor of Austria
In Austrian politics, the Vice-Chancellor is a member of the federal government acting as a deputy to the Federal Chancellor.Art. 69 of the Constitution of Austria states:...
at that time, Susanne Riess-Passer
Susanne Riess-Passer
Susanne Riess-Passer is a former Austrian politician of the Freedom Party of Austria .In the first government headed by Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, which was inaugurated in 2000, she became Vice Chancellor and minister of public services and sports, representing her party in the coalition with...
, was not present. Most of the functionaries attending represented the opposition within the FPÖ of its traditional nationalist right wing.
The key symbolic moment of the meeting was a public tearing of a compromise paper between Riess-Passer and Haider by the Carinthian
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
delegate Scheuch (some witnesses report that Haider instructed Scheuch to publicly tear the paper, so even though it was Scheuch who actually tore the paper up, it was Haider in reality who was engaging in the destruction of the accord). The following day, Riess-Passer, Minister of Finance Karl-Heinz Grasser
Karl-Heinz Grasser
Karl-Heinz Grasser is a former Austrian politician who held the office of Austrian Minister of Finance from February 2000 to January 2007 as a member of the two subsequent governments of Wolfgang Schüssel...
(who was later reappointed in this position by the ÖVP
OVP
OVP is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:*The Office of the Vice President of the United States*The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines*OVP , a light sub-machine gun developed in Italy...
) and the chairman of the FPÖ parliamentary club, Peter Westenthaler
Peter Westenthaler
Peter Westenthaler is an Austrian politician. He assumed his mother's maiden name Westenthaler instead of his former surname Hojač...
, announced their resignation, as did some other relatively pragmatic functionaries. Chancellor
Chancellor of Austria
The Federal Chancellor is the head of government in Austria. Its deputy is the Vice-Chancellor. Before 1918, the equivalent office was the Minister-President of Austria. The Federal Chancellor is considered to be the most powerful political position in Austrian politics.-Appointment:The...
Wolfgang Schüssel then renounced the coalition pact, which led to early elections being called, where the FPÖ lost approximately two thirds of its voters of 1999 and fell from 26.9% of the public vote to 10,0%.
Symbolic meaning
Since that time in the Austrian media the term "Knittelfelder" has been used to refer to party rebels in the FPÖ. You can also refer simply to "Knittelfeld" to refer to the events of the congress.Aftermath
The coalition between ÖVP and FPÖ was renewed after the elections in spite of the FPÖ's weak showing at the polls. As the FPÖ continued to lose even more dramatically in subsequent local and also the 2004 European electionsEuropean Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
, tensions did not subside. In April 2005, Jörg Haider founded the Alliance for the Future of Austria
Alliance for the Future of Austria
The Alliance for the Future of Austria , abbreviated to BZÖ, is a conservative liberal political party in Austria. The party has sixteen seats in the National Council....
(BZÖ), a new party, this time with the more pragmatic wing of the party, including all current FPÖ members of the federal government and most of the FPÖ's parliamentary representatives. Since then the BZÖ obtained 4.1% of the vote in the 2006 general election and got 7 seats in the National Council. The FPÖ rose from 10.01% to 11.04 in that election. Since then the FPÖ is growing again, the party received 10,5% in the 2008 Lower Austria "Landtag" (provincial) election, more than doubeling its 2003 result (4,5%). Recent polls show the FPÖ at 18% nationally. The BZÖ also participated in the Lower Austria election, but received only 0,72%, failing to pass the 4% threshold. National polls show the BZÖ at about 4%.