Austria: Death of far-right leader - timeline
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- August 2008. Controversial populist Jörg Haider again becomes leader of the right-wing nationalist Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).
- July 2008. The ruling left-right 'grand coalition' collapses acrimoniously when Wilhelm Molterer, leader of the junior coalition conservative Peoples Party (ÖVP), declares he can no longer work with Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer's senior ruling Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). A snap election is scheduled for Sept. 28. Gusenbauer declines to run as chancellor candidate, recommending instead new SPÖ leader Werner Faymann.
- June 2008. Infrastructure Minister Werner Faymann succeeds Gusenbauer as SPÖ leader after Gusenbauer is criticised by his party for being 'too soft' towards the junior coalition ÖVP. Gusenbauer remains chancellor.
- June 2007. The Nationalrat (the lower house of the bicameral legislature) approves legislation lowering the voting age in national elections to 16 years, the lowest of any EU country. Austria's legislative period is also extended from four to five years.
- January 2007. The SPÖ and the ÖVP form a 'grand coalition'. SPÖ leader Gusenbauer becomes chancellor. Wolfgang Schssel stands down as ÖVP leader and is succeeded by Molterer. Under the coalition agreement, the SPÖ abandons key election promises.
- October 2006. In elections to the Nationalrat, Gusenbauer's main opposition SPÖ wins a surprise victory over Chancellor Schssel's ruling conservative ÖVP but fails to secure an overall majority.
- June 2006. Peter Westentaler, former legislative leader of the far-right anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ), is elected chairman of the right-wing junior coalition Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).
- May 2006. Haider resigns as leader of the right-wing BZÖ.
- May 2005. The Bundesrat (the upper house of the bicameral legislature) votes overwhelmingly to ratify the EU constitution, making Austria the eighth country to ratify the charter.
- April 2005. After the FPÖ loses more than 50 per cent of its support in municipal elections, former FPÖ leader Haider leaves the party to form the somewhat more moderate BZÖ. Containing the majority of FPÖ legislators and all its Cabinet members, the new BZÖ replaces the FPÖ in the ruling coalition with Chancellor Schussel's senior conservative ÖVP. Heinz-Christian Strache is elected new FPÖ leader after former FPÖ leader Ursula Haubner joins her brother, Haider, in the new BZÖ.
- March 2005. In a bid to stem a series of election defeats, the far-right FPÖ purges most rightists from senior positions of influence within the party.
- July 2004. Following its dismal performance in European Parliament (EP) elections, the junior coalition FPÖ elects Ursula Haubner as its new chairwoman.
- April 2004. The opposition SPÖ presidential candidate, deputy Speaker Heinz Fischer, wins a presidential election to become Austria's first SPÖ President for two decades.
- March 2004. Controversial former far-right FPÖ leader Haider is re-elected governor of the southern Alpine province of Carinthia, following the FPÖ's unexpected victory in regional elections. Haider's success, which follows four years of decline in the FPÖ's popularity, fuels speculation that he will eventually regain the leadership of the FPÖ and return to national politics.
- October 2003. The Nationalrat approves amendments to Austria's asylum legislation, described by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as "among the most restrictive pieces of legislation" within the EU.
- September 2003. In provincial elections in Upper Austria and Tyrol, the far-right junior coalition FPÖ gains only half the number of votes that it had won in the previous provincial elections. The ÖVP regains an absolute majority of 51 per cent in Tyrol and maintains its majority in the provincial legislature of Upper Austria.
- February 2003. After the failure of coalition talks with the SPÖ and Greens, the ÖVP again forms a government with the FPÖ. The cabinet includes only three members of the FPÖ, reflecting its poor showing in the elections.
- November 2002. In elections to the Nationalrat, the ÖVP wins the largest number of seats but fails to gain enough support to form a government outright. The election is seen as a resounding personal victory for Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel.
- February 2000. After coalition talks between the SPÖ and ÖVP collapse, the ÖVP forms a controversial coalition with the far-right FPÖ, provoking consternation in the international community.
- October 1999. In elections to the Nationalrat, the SPÖ, the dominant partner in the outgoing ruling coalition, wins the largest number of seats but fails to secure a majority. However, attention is focused on the performance of far-right FPÖ, which runs on an anti-immigrant platform and manages narrowly to outpoll the centre-right ÖVP, the SPÖ's junior partner.
- March 1996. The SPÖ/ÖVP coalition government is resurrected following an agreement over an austerity package.
- December 1995. In an early general election, the ruling SPÖ gains six seats, consolidating its position as the largest party. The FPÖ loses two seats in its first electoral setback in 30 years.
- October 1995. The grand coalition of the SPÖ and the ÖVP, headed by Federal Chancellor and SPÖ chair Franz Vranitzky, collapses when the parties fail to agree on how to reduce the deficit in the 1996 budget. The legislature is formally dissolved.
- October 1994. Having held power since 1987, the SPÖ/ÖVP coalition is re-elected in a general election. The far-right FPÖ wins 6 per cent more votes than previously.
- June 1994. In a national referendum, 66.4 per cent vote in favour of Austria's accession to the EU.
- February 1993. Five deputies leave the FPÖ in protest at its anti-EU and anti-foreigner stance and set up the new pro-EU Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum - LF), forming a new faction in the Nationalrat.
- December 1990. Franz Vranitzky is sworn in as Federal Chancellor at the head of a grand coalition of his own SPÖ and the centre-right ÖVP after a general election in October in which the ÖVP suffers its worst result since 1945.
- November 1986. A general election is held prematurely after Chancellor Vranitzky dissolves the legislature following the election of far-right politician Haider as leader of the junior coalition FPÖ in place of the more moderate Norbert Steger. The FPÖ makes substantial gains. In January 1987, the SPÖ and the opposition ÖVP form a grand coalition.
- June 1986. Former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim becomes president despite controversy over his alleged involvement in war crimes. Socialist Chancellor Alfred (Fred) Sinowatz resigns and is succeeded by Franz Vranitzky. A new SPÖ/FPÖ cabinet is sworn in.
- April 1983. General election. The SPÖ loses its absolute majority. An SPÖ/FPÖ coalition government is formed under the leadership of SPÖ Chancellor Fred Sinowatz.
- May 1979. The SPÖ increases its absolute majority in a general election. A new chairman of the FPÖ is appointed.
- October 1975. The SPÖ remains in power following a general election.
- October 1971. In an early general election, the SPÖ gains an overall majority.
- June 1970. The results of the general election are partially invalidated after a complaint by the FPÖ.
- March 1970. A general election produces a narrow SPÖ victory. Bruno Kreisky becomes chancellor of a single-party SPÖ government.
- February 1967. Bruno Kreisky is elected new chairman of the SPÖ.
- April 1966. Following abortive discussions with the SPÖ for the reformation of the two-party coalition, the ÖVP forms Austria's first post-war single-party government.
- March 1966. After 21 years of coalition governments, the ÖVP wins an absolute majority in a general election.
- May 1959. General elections result in gains by the SPÖ and corresponding losses for the ÖVP, which, however, retains its position as the largest group in the Nationalrat.
- May 1956. A general election is won by the ÖVP/SPÖ coalition. It is the first election contested by the new liberal FPÖ.
- November 1955. Three right-wing opposition groups merge to form a new national unity party (later named the Liberal or Freedom Party-FP), representing the entire right-wing opposition.
- May 1955. A treaty signed by the occupying powers establishes an independent, sovereign, and neutral Austria.
- May 1953. Following general elections, a new government is formed by the ÖVP and the SPÖ. Julius Raab succeeds Leopold Figl as chancellor.
- February 1946. General and provincial elections result in victory for the ÖVP led by Leopold Figl who becomes chancellor.
- May 1945. Austria is occupied jointly by the UK, USA, Soviet Union, and France.
- May 1945. World War II ends in Europe.
- September 1939. Germany invades Poland. The UK and France declare war on Germany, starting World War II.
- March 1938. The Anschluss (union) with Germany is ratified. Austria is incorporated into the German Reich.
- March 1938. Austria becomes a National Socialist (Nazi) state. German troops invade Austria.
- July 1936. Austria acknowledges itself to be a German state.
- July 1934. Kurt von Schuschnigg becomes chancellor.
- July 1934. Christian Socialist Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss in assassinated in a National Socialist (Nazi)-led uprising.
- February 1934. The government crushes a Nazi uprising and dissolves the Socialist Party.
- June 1933. Following a serious Nazi bomb outrage, at Krems, in Lower Austria, the Austrian Cabinet decides to dissolve the Nazi Party in Austria. The wearing of Nazi swastika and other party emblems as well as party uniforms is strictly banned.
- March 1933. The Dollfuss government establishes a semi-dictatorial regime to suppress Hitlerite agitation and Socialist opposition. All street demonstrations and political meetings are banned.
- February 1933. At a rally in Vienna attended by some 13,000 people, a Nazi spokesman demands the immediate union of Germany with Austria, after Adolf Hitler, an Austrian, becomes chancellor of Germany.
- May 1932. Christian Socialist Dollfuss becomes chancellor.
- April 1932. In elections for the City Council of Vienna, the Provincial Diets of Lower Austria and Salzburg, and district councils in Styria and Carinthia, the Austrian Nazis, hitherto a negligible party in Austrian politics, make sweeping gains at the expense of the Christian Social Party in Vienna and the Pan-Germans in rural areas.
- November 1918. Following the end of Habsburg rule, Austria becomes a republic.
- June 1914. Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is assassinated by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. Austria declares war on Serbia, precipitating World War I.
