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European Comparisons

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Right-wing populism

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Politics

Political Surveys

October 2017, 4 pages

Political surveys should provide information on public opinions and trends. In reality, they are often used to show alleged trends and thus form opinions in the sense of the client. The following short work shows how to judge a survey about politics and is very recommendable.

report, in German (pdf)

Chambers in Austria

October 2017, Alexander Ackerl BA, Mag.a Susanne Halmer BA, MMag.a Barbara Hauenschild, 28 pages

Chambers are organized in Austria as public corporations and specifically enshrined in the constitution, which is unique in the world. Their task is the representation of interests of the respective occupational group with respect to other interest groups and the state, also in the context of Austria's "social partnership". There have been many calls for reform in recent years. In particular, the "forced membership" is criticized again and again.

report, in German (pdf)

Politicians in Austria 2016 - number, party affiliation, costs

February 2016, Mag.a Susanne Halmer, 49 Pages

Whether a small country like Austria needs this many politicians and whether they cost too much is rarely a fact-based discussion. The present study, in its second edition after 2012, will provide these facts and answer the most important questions: How many politicians are there in Austria? How many are there compared to other EU countries? At what political levels do they work? Which party has how many politicians? Are there regional differences? What does this political system cost?

report, in German (pdf)

Politicians in Austria - number, party affiliation, costs

February 2012, Susanne Halmer, Barbara Hauenschild, 35 pages

Does Austria have too many politicians? The opinions on this emotionally charged issue are divided. But how many elected representatives of the people does Austria actually have? On which political levels are they active? How many politicians represent the individual parties? What about regional differences? And what do they cost? Is the political system in Austria too elaborate and too expensive for a small country? This study provides answers to many of these questions. Of the over 44,000 paid politicians in Austria, 98 percent work at local level; only 2 percent are federal or regional politicians. Hence, almost three quarters of politicians’ earnings in Austria (total about EUR 317 million) have to be spent on local politics (EUR 228 million). Also worth mentioning are regional particularities: whilst Vienna manages on just under EUR 23 million for its regional and local politicians, Lower Austria, which almost has the same number of residents, needs over EUR 80 million for regional and local politicians. 48 percent of all politicians in Austria represent the ÖVP, only 30 percent the SPÖ. However, compared to other countries, when it comes to the number of representatives of the people, Austria only ranks midfield.

report, in German (pdf)

The Pirates - and what will remain of them

November 2012, Werner T. Bauer, 32 Seiten

Following their spectacular successes in the Berlin state election at the end of 2011 as well as in the federal state elections in Saarland, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia in spring 2012, everybody was suddenly talking about the PIRATES. The entry of the “new Greens” into the German Bundestag seemed to be imminent and in Austria too, the Pirate Party leaping into Parliament seemed to be a foregone conclusion. A few months and a further aggravation of the economic and financial crisis later it has become significantly quieter for the political newcomer.

report, in German (pdf)

More Rights for People – A Contribution to the Fundamental Rights Debate

December 2003, Veronika Adensamer, Dr. Werner T. Bauer,Dr. Andreas Höferl, Bela Hollos, Mag. Paul Pöchhacker, 9 Pages

The Austrian convention on constitutional reform has begun its work in the summer of 2003. After the first months it is clear that many questions revolve around how the tasks and rights of individual institutions of the state could be changed. We believe, however, that the central question which is not getting enough attention is how to broaden the rights of people in Austria and thus further develop and secure democracy. We therefore present our proposals for the expansion of social and political rights for people in Austria. We have in part relied on already formulated rights in the constitutions of other European countries as well as on the draft of the EU constitution. In the second part we take a position on the SPÖ’s catalogue of fundamental rights.

report, in German (pdf)

Internet and Democracy – More Democracy Through the Net?

November 2003, Dr. Werner T. Bauer, 15 Pages

How much does the Internet change politics? Does it improve the information and participation of citizens and thus democracy? Experiences and the technological state of the art until now show the following picture: the Internet is egalitarian and not hierarchical. It is independent of time and space. It is fast and unfiltered. In contrast to traditional mass media, which increases the tendency to passivity, the Internet can increase participation. But, the Internet also deepens social segmentation. With increasing information, disinformation grows and the Internet is a primarily privatised and individualised form of communication. It allows simple and quick votes, at least on a small scale, and it can be a medium for shaping political opinion and influencing the decision-making process. It offers better information management and allows for more connectedness between the administration and the citizens. However, it is not a place for democratic and political decisions (such as Internet elections). The technological security of, for example, casting a vote, is not enough and will probably not be for quite some time.

report, in German (pdf)

Crisis of Democracy – The Future of Democracy

April 2003, Dr. Werner T. Bauer, 37 Pages

With an „Austrian Convent“, comprehensive reforms of the constitution, state and administration are to be developed in Austria this year. This work aims to identify the most important causes of the current “Crisis of Democracy” which has manifested itself in the disenchantment with politics, decreasing voter turnout and quiet resignation toward the gradual dismantling of basic democratic principles. In the second part, we try to show how democracy could develop and renew itself in the coming years and decades. Patent solutions can and should not be offered here. In our view, this is precisely one of the foundations of a strong and democratic order within a modern and pluralistic societal system: The rejection of seemingly simple solutions when trying to cope with ever more complex questions in a multi-connected world.

report, in German (pdf)

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