Platform
The Austrian People's Party represents conservatism, running on a platform of traditions and stability of social order. In particular, it is expressly disinterested in strengthening Austria's incomplete separation of church and state, appearing to be somewhat sceptical of affirmative action, rights for sexual minorities, and other forms of social engineering. For most of its existence, the People's Party has explicitly defined itself as Catholic and anti-socialist; the ideal of subsidiarity as defined by the encyclical Quadragesimo Anno is generally considered one of the historical cornerstones of its agenda.
For the first election after World War II, ÖVP presented itself as the Austrian Party („die österreichische Partei“), was decidedly anti-Marxist and regarded itself as the Party of the Centre („Partei der Mitte“). The ÖVP held permanently power either alone or in so-called Black-Red coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) until 1970, when the SPÖ formed a minority government with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). The ÖVP's economic policies during the era can be described as upholding a social market economy.
Nowadays, with regard to economic policy, the Austrian People's Party is advocating economic liberalization, endorsing the reduction of Austria's relatively large public sector, welfare reform, and general deregulation. With regard to foreign affairs, it strongly supports European integration. Over the last two decades, the People's Party has also adopted a more environmentalist stance than other similar conservative parties.
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Famous quotes containing the word platform:
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—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)
“I have never yet spoken from a public platform about women in industry that someone has not said, “But things are far better than they used to be.” I confess to impatience with persons who are satisfied with a dangerously slow tempo of progress for half of society in an age which requires a much faster tempo than in the days that “used to be.” Let us use what might be instead of what has been as our yardstick!”
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“The use of literature is to afford us a platform whence we may command a view of our present life, a purchase by which we may move it.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)