The Communist Party of Austria (German: Kommunistische Partei Österreichs, or KPÖ) is a communist party based in Austria. Established in 1918, it was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime, and German control of Austria during World War II. It played an important role in the Austrian resistance against the Nazis and fascism.
The party publishes a newspaper called Volksstimmen (previously Volksstimme) and stands in elections, however, it has not had representation in the federal parliament since 1959. After losing its last representative in a state parliament, in Styria in 1970, it has become a fringe movement with limited political significance. At the National Council elections held on November 22, 2002, it won only 0.56% of the votes (27,568 out of a total of 4,909,645), well below the 4% minimum to obtain seats in the National Council. However, it received an exceptional 20% of the vote in the 2003 Graz local elections, and in 2005 it returned to its first state parliament in 35 years after winning 6.3% of the vote in Styria.
It is part of the New European Left Forum (NELF) and the Party of the European Left.
Read more about Communist Party Of Austria: Establishment, First Republic and National Socialism, Second Republic, October Strike 1950, Weaknesses and Crises, After The Fall of Socialist Bloc, KPÖ Graz and Styria, Recent Elections, Party Chairpersons Since 1945, Literature
Famous quotes containing the words communist, party and/or austria:
“In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticize after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, shepherd or critic.”
—Karl Marx (1818–1883)
“The party out of office becomes the articulate one.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“All the terrors of the French Republic, which held Austria in awe, were unable to command her diplomacy. But Napoleon sent to Vienna M. de Narbonne, one of the old noblesse, with the morals, manners, and name of that interest, saying, that it was indispensable to send to the old aristocracy of Europe men of the same connection, which, in fact, constitutes a sort of free- masonry. M. de Narbonne, in less than a fortnight, penetrated all the secrets of the imperial cabinet.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)