Proporz (German: [pʁoˈpɔʁts], from German: Proportionalität, "proportionality") is a long-standing practice in the Second Austrian Republic in which positions in government are distributed between political parties in a manner proportional to their electoral or public support.[1] More broadly, it describes a culture of power sharing and consensus between Austria's two major parties, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), which developed throughout the period of grand coalition government from 1945 to 1966. During this time, partisan divisions were established in most government institutions and the public service, designed to balance the influence of both parties.[2][3]
Much of the system has been dismantled over time, particularly since the 1990s. While in 1999 all but one of the nine federal states operated Proporz systems, five have since formally abolished them. Some aspects, such as its application on a municipal level, endure to this day.[1]
- ^ a b "Austria's state constitutions: Proporz and opposition". Der Standard. 28 October 2015.
- ^ Riedlsperger, Max (5 May 1995). "Die Freiheitlichen: a comparative study of the Austrian and U.S. Political Landscapes". Archived from the original on 17 September 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "Proporz". Demokratiezentrum.org. February 2006.