South Tyrolean Freedom
Encyclopedia
The South Tyrolean Freedom is a separatist
German-speaking
political party active in South Tyrol
committed to the reunification of South Tyrol
(deliberately writing it Süd-Tirol with dash and not as one word) with the state of Tyrol
within Austria
.
(UfS) in May 2007. On 8 June 2007 it was notarially founded in Brixen
. The founding members were Herbert Campidell, Eva Klotz, Sven Knoll, Reinhold Ladurner, Roland Lang, Sepp Mitterhofer, Werner Thaler and Dietmar Zwerger.
In the summer of 2007 the party presented a provocative poster campaign with the slogan "South Tyrol is not Italy" and the Austrian flag as background. A comparable sign with the same content was set up at the Brenner Pass
border, at last in June 2008.
Since April 2009 the STF is full member of the European Free Alliance
, the pan-European organization of regionalist
political parties. Gudrun Kofler from the STF Youth (Junge Süd-Tiroler Freiheit) was elected as Vice President of the EFA Youth.
-patriotic
" party which advocates the protection of the German speaking
population of South Tyrol. The party claims the right of self-determination for South Tyrol and the right to conduct a referendum in which the South Tyroleans can decide whether they want to be part of Italy or the Austrian state of Tyrol
. The party program also emphasize the protection of the environment, the defense of family values, a moderately liberal economic policy and the vision of a Europe of the regions.
Separatism
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy...
German-speaking
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
political party active in South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
committed to the reunification of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
(deliberately writing it Süd-Tirol with dash and not as one word) with the state of Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
within 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...
.
History
The South Tyrolean Freedom emerged as a split from the Union for South TyrolUnion for South Tyrol
The Citizens' Union is a separatist, nationalist and conservative political party active in South Tyrol committed to the German-speaking minority and its right to self-determination...
(UfS) in May 2007. On 8 June 2007 it was notarially founded in Brixen
Brixen
Brixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
. The founding members were Herbert Campidell, Eva Klotz, Sven Knoll, Reinhold Ladurner, Roland Lang, Sepp Mitterhofer, Werner Thaler and Dietmar Zwerger.
In the summer of 2007 the party presented a provocative poster campaign with the slogan "South Tyrol is not Italy" and the Austrian flag as background. A comparable sign with the same content was set up at the Brenner Pass
Brenner Pass
- Roadways :The motorway E45 leading from Innsbruck via Bolzano to Verona and Modena uses this pass, and is one of the most important north-south connections in Europe...
border, at last in June 2008.
Since April 2009 the STF is full member of the European Free Alliance
European Free Alliance
The European Free Alliance is a European political party. It consists of various national-level political parties in Europe which advocate either full political independence , or some form of devolution or self-governance for their country or region...
, the pan-European organization of regionalist
Regionalism (politics)
Regionalism is a term used in international relations. Regionalism also constitutes one of the three constituents of the international commercial system...
political parties. Gudrun Kofler from the STF Youth (Junge Süd-Tiroler Freiheit) was elected as Vice President of the EFA Youth.
Ideology
The STF presents itself as a "liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
-patriotic
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
" party which advocates the protection of the German speaking
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
population of South Tyrol. The party claims the right of self-determination for South Tyrol and the right to conduct a referendum in which the South Tyroleans can decide whether they want to be part of Italy or the Austrian state of Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
. The party program also emphasize the protection of the environment, the defense of family values, a moderately liberal economic policy and the vision of a Europe of the regions.
Popular support
In the 2008 provincial election the party won 4.9% of the vote (more than two thirds of the vote of UfS in 2003) and two provincial deputies, while UfS managed to win 2.3% of the vote and one deputy.Leadership
- Leadership (Landesleitung): Eva Klotz / Sven Knoll / Werner Thaler / Roland Lang / Georg Karl Hofer (2007–present)
- Spokesman: Werner Thaler (2007–present)