On 1 October 2006 Austria voted on the new composition of Parliament. Based on the final result (including postal votes), the SPÖ (Social Democratic Party of Austria) led by party chief Alfred Gusenbauer scored an election victory with 35.3% of the votes. The ÖVP (Austrian People’s Party) under party chairman and current Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel was ranked second with 34.3% of the votes. After counting the postal votes on 9 October 2006, the difference between the two parties is only 1.0%.
6,107,851 citizens were qualified to vote (2002: 5,912,592). The election turnout was 78.5% (4,793,735 votes; 2002: 84.3%/4,982,261).
The final official result in detail: the SPÖ took 1,663,986 votes or 35.3% (minus 1.2%; 2002: 36.5%), which makes it again the party winning most votes after four years. 1,616,493 votes or 34.3% (minus 8.0%; 2002: 42.3%) went to the second ranking ÖVP. The Greens came in third, having an edge of 538 votes or 0.01% over the FPÖ (Freedom Party of Austria), which now ranks fourth for the first time: Greens 520,130 votes or 11.0% (plus 1.5%; 2002: 9.5%), FPÖ 519,598 votes or 11.0% (plus 1.0%; 2002: 10.0%). The orange coalition partner BZÖ (Alliance for the Future of Austria), which had presented its candidacy for the first time in a parliamentary election after splitting off from the FPÖ (2005), won 193,539 votes or 4.1% and is thus just over the threshold needed to re-enter Parliament.
Of the parties/lists not represented in Parliament, Liste MATIN (list of Dr. Martin) took 2.8% and KPÖ (Communist Party of Austria) 1.0% of the votes. The remaining groups (NFÖ, IVE, STARK, SAU and SLP) registered percentages of vote below 1%.
The seats in Parliament are distributed as follows: 68 SPÖ (minus 1), 66 ÖVP (minus 13), 21 Greens (plus 4), 21 FPÖ (plus 3), 7 BZÖ (plus 7).
The parliamentary session to form the new government will be held on 30 October 2006.
The first steps to form a government have already been taken. On 3 October 2006, Federal Chancellor Schüssel traditionally offered the resignation of the government to Federal President Heinz Fischer. After accepting it, the President asked the government to stay in office until a new one was sworn in.
Federal President Fischer explained that according to the established practice the head of the party winning most votes – i.e. SPÖ Chairman Gusenbauer (editor’s note) – will be entrusted with forming the new government as soon as the final official result is available. Fischer has already held exploratory talks with the chairmen of all five parliamentary parties.
The Federal President stressed with regard to the coalition negotiations that “it is to the benefit of a country if a government is formed that is stable and able to realise large-scale reform projects“. ■

Bulgaria and Romania should join the European Union on 1 January 2007. This recommendation was made by the European Commission on 26 September 2006. Stringent requirements have, however, been laid down in the progress report submitted to the European Parliament.
Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik described the report as “fair and realistic“. Both countries had undertaken an “impressive catching up process to become fit for 2007“, stated Plassnik. This was another historic step towards the reunification of Europe.
Measures had been taken to protect the labour market in Austria against adverse effects. Every EU Member State could introduce transition periods for labourforce from these countries of up to seven years. “The EU accession of Bulgaria and Romania will provide us Austrians with more security, more export opportunities and more jobs”, underlined Plassnik. ■

The Representation of the European Commission in Austria opened its EU information point “Europe Direct” in Vienna on 2 October 2006. This is another step to strengthen the involvement of citizens in the public debate on EU topics and to facilitate direct access to EU information. ■

In the framework of his official visit to the Vatican in Rome, President Heinz Fischer met with Pope Bendict XVI on 5 October 2006. The Austrian President was accompanied by his wife Margit and a 15-member delegation.
The closed meeting in the library of the Holy Father was described by Fischer to reporters as “absolutely positive, friendly and un-complicated”. He had extended “the greetings of the Austrian people” to the Pope and the invitation of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference to visit Mariazell, one of Austria’s most important places of pilgrimage. “The Holy Father accepted the invitation with pleasure”, said the Federal President. Benedict XVI.’s trip to Austria has been scheduled for September 2007 in the framework of the celebrations of the 850th anniversary of Mariazell.
Political subjects and EU issues were also discussed, informed Fischer. The head of the Catholic Church explicitly supported the accession of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to the European Union but he was of the opinion that Europe should “not be enlarged indefinitely”. With regard to the European fundamental rights and human rights, there was “far-reaching agreement” between the Vatican and Austria, stated Fischer.
Another subject discussed was the dialogue between the religions. Fischer reminded of Austria’s longstanding tradition of dialogue with Islam, e.g. at the Islam conference in Vienna in 2005. The necessity of inter-religious dialogue had been underlined repeatedly by the Pope during the talks, explained Fischer. The Federal President emphasised that in Austria the “consistent and untiring efforts” of the Pope to protect humankind against war and terrorism as well as his “warning words against xenophobia and religious intolerance” met with great interest and approval.
The political agenda of the Federal President’s visit to Rome ending on 6 October 2006 included talks with Italian Head of Government Romano Prodi, Foreign Minister Massimo D´Alema and State President Giorgio Napolitano. Fischer concluded his stay with a meeting with the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra Andrew Bertie. ■

King Albert II. of Belgium met with Federal President Heinz Fischer in Vienna’s Hofburg on 28 September 2006. The talks focused on the “very good” bilateral relations.
The trip of Albert II. to Vienna was motivated by the current Belgian chairmanship of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe). By paying a visit to the organisation, the monarch underlined the importance of the OSCE’s battle against trafficking in human beings as well as organised crime. He congratulated the organisation for its past achievements. Albert II. advocated that the legal and institutional framework for combating trafficking in human beings should be reinforced so as to eliminated these “inhumane practices”.
The cultural programme included a visit to the Princely Collections of the Liechtenstein Museum. (See “Culture” in this issue) ■

The key findings of the UN report on the Israeli bombing on a UN post in Lebanon was that it was a chain of tragic circumstances, stated Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik in an interview to the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) on 29 September 2006. The UN had already decided to evacuate this post. Nobody could have expected that Israeli air raids would target it. According to the UN report, the staff had followed standard procedures, said Plassnik.
In the attack of the Israeli air force on the UN observers’ post in Khiyam in southern Lebanon on 25 July 2006 four UNIFIL soldiers, among them Austrian major Hans-Peter Lang, had been killed. ■

Ambassador Thomas Stelzer, Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Vienna, was elected as one of the two vice-chairpersons of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 25 September 2006. ■

According to the latest economic forecasts for 2006/07, which were presented by experts of the Economic Research Institute (Wifo) and the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) on 6 October 2006, this year the Austrian economy is expected to grow by 3.1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in real terms. This rate is markedly above that of the past six years. These forecasts confirmed the estimates of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), which had recently predicted a GDP growth of 3.2%.
In summer the forecasts of Wifo and IHS had still been half a percentage point lower. The institutes also expect an increase in growth for 2007, forecasting 2.5 and 2.3%, respectively. Next year the dynamic growth will slow down in the wake of the value-added tax increase in Germany and the more sluggish international economy.
According to the forecasts, the labour market continues to develop favourably. This year a significant increase in jobs is paralleled by lower unemployment. Full-time employment also benefits from economic growth.
Unemployment declined thanks to the economic upswing as well as intensified training measures. The IHS expects a growth in employment of 1.6% for 2006 – the most significant plus since the early 1990s. In 2007 an increase of 1.1% was likely. The unemployment rate calculated on the basis of the EU definition was estimated at 4.9% for 2006 and 4.8% for 2007. Wifo forecasts an unemployment rate of 5.0% for both years. ■

Austria’s trade balance has gone into the black in the first seven months of 2006. Imports went up by 11.3% to 60.12 billion euro. Exports increased even more significantly – by 12.2% to 60.21 billion euro. These are the preliminary statistical data published by the Austrian Statistical Office (Statistik Austria) on 29 September 2006. The domestic economy registers a minor surplus of about 84 million euro – after a deficit of 367 million euro in the same period of the previous year.
Based on these data, Minister for Economic Affairs Martin Bartenstein stated that it was a realistic assumption that the Austrian commodity exports could reach 40% of the gross domestic product (GDP) this year. In 1995 the share of exports in the GDP stood at 25%.
Austria’s foreign trade gap was closed as the trade deficit with the EU Member States narrowed to 1.97 billion euro and trade with third countries grew extremely dynamically. Imports from non-EU members rose by 20.6% to 15.74 billion euro, while exports to this group climbed by 17.3% to 17.79 billion euro. This results in a plus of 2.05 billion euro.
In the period under review, Austria imported goods worth 44.38 billion euro from the Member States of the European Union; corresponding to a year-on-year increase by 8.4%. Austria’s exports to these countries expanded by 10.3% to 42.41 billion euro. ■

“The strong economic integration of Austria into the international economy is one of Austria’s success factors. We also managed to boost our exports on a long-term basis“, the President of the Economic Chamber Austria (WKÖ), Christoph Leitl, commented the latest foreign trade data of the Austrian Statistical Office (Statistik Austria) on 29 September 2006. The export increase by 12.2% and the surplus of 84 million euro between January and July 2006 were a “highly pleasant result” after the minus in the same period of last year“, stated Leitl. The goal of breaking through the sonic barrier of 100 billion euro was approached “in giant steps“.
For the entire year 2006, Leitl expects an exports growth of 9% and an equilibrium trade balance. “This will allow us to create about 63,000 additional jobs in Austria, and the Minister of Finance will reap an additional revenue of 2.5 billion euro“, emphasised the WKÖ boss.
The internationalisation campaign of the federal government and the Foreign Trade Department (AWO) of WKÖ was showing favourable and sustainable effects on wealth and economic growth in Austria, explained Leitl. By intensifying support to clusters and prioritising exports, the internationalisation programme also aims at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in reaching beyond national borders. ■

As Secretary of State for Art and Media Franz Morak announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair on 4 October 2006, the Austrian State Prize for European Literature went for the first time to a Spanish author – to Jorge Semprún (aged 82). Morak explained that Semprún was “one of the most important personalities of the 20th century – as a writer, intellectual and politician“. He taught us that the purpose of “writing and literature was the search for identity”. The books of the author born in Madrid in 1923 were “complex confessions dating back to periods of exile, resistance and annihilation camps, the epoch of National Socialism and Soviet totalitarianism. They are among the masterpieces of contemporary narrative prose“. In 1963 he published his first book, “Le grand voyage / Witnesses to War“, for which he received the Formentor Prize. His film scripts became famous, e.g. “La guerre est fini / The War is over” (1966), the political thriller “Z“ (1968) and “L’aveu /The Confession“ (1979).
In 2004 he was awarded the Spanish Prize “Premio de Novela Fernando Lara” for his novel “Veinte años y un día / Twenty Years and a Day“. The prize-winning work was the first novel Semprún authored in his mother tongue. His earlier works were written in French.
Secretary of State Morak announced two other prize winners. The Austrian State Prize for Cultural Journalism awarded every second year goes to Paul Lendvai. He was “a journalistic authority whose articles, columns, comments and essays were distinguished by their analytical sharpness, their infallible judgement as well as unpretentious and clear style”. The readers of Lendvai were confronted with a “living piece of the history of the mentalities of our close and distant neighbours”. With his journalist work, Lendvai had contributed to the “process of European understanding” for almost half a century.
The Prize for Achievements in Literature is conferred on Christoph Wilhelm Aigner, a “master of small form and of condensed expression”, stated Morak. His first comprehensive novel “Die schönen bitteren Wochen des Johann Nepomuk“ was recently published by DVA. The main character of the book is a 17-year old football talent.
This year the Literature Promotion Prize is awarded to Eugenie Kain and Thomas Glavinic. Eugenie Kain (whose latest narrative work “Flüsterlieder“ was published by the publishing house Otto Müller) lends an “impressive voice to people on the fringe of our society in her sober stories about the yearning for a happy life”, stated Morak. Thomas Glavinic, who had put five novels before the public since 1998, “is finally where he has always belonged: with his latest book ‘Die Arbeit der Nacht’, he rose to the top of German-language novelists.
The Prize for Achievements in Children’s and Youth Literature goes to Erwin Moser, a “writer of classic children’s literature”. He has become a “teacher of philanthropy” to many young readers, said Morak. Artistically, he was one of the “rare double talents inventing and developing a unique cosmos of characters both as a drawer and narrator“. Rachel van Kooij is granted the Prize Promoting Children’s and Youth Literature. “She is certainly one of the most important Austrian authors of children and youth books of the middle generation”, concluded the Secretary of State. ■

Austrian composer Friedrich Cerha (80) received the “Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement” awarded for the first time by the Venice Music Biennale at Teatro La Fenice on 7 October 2006. Cerha was “one of the greatest composers of the later 20th century”, Giorgio Battistelli, the artistic director of the 50th International Festival of Contemporary Music of the Venice Biennale, explained the nomination of Cerha. He was praised for his clear composition style and the coherence of his work, which made him a model for several generations”. Attention was drawn to Cerha’s completion of Alban Berg’s “Lulu“, with which he went down in the history of music, as well as his orchestra piece “Spiegel“. Homage is also paid to him by performing several of his works at the festival. Robert Neumüller’s TV portrait “So möchte ich auch fliegen können“ produced by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) is screened in the entrance hall of the opera house La Fenice. Cerha’s “Hymnus“ was performed as part of the music programme at the gala.
The Viennese Friedrich Cerha born in 1926 introduced the audience of his native city to contemporary music. In this endeavour he was supported by the ensemble “die reihe“, which he had founded with Kurt Schwertsik. In Vienna Cerha studied composition with Alfred Uhl and violin with Vasa Príhoda. He earned a Ph.D. in German language and literature studies. Cerha taught at Vienna University of Music between 1959 and 1987, from 1969 onwards as a professor for composition, notation and interpretation. The composer Cerha, who was also active as a conductor for many years, achieved an international breakthrough at the Salzburg Festival in 1981 with the premiere of his opera “Baal“ – the text was from the play of the same name written by 20-year-old Bertolt Brecht. The literary opera “Der Rattenfänger“ (The Pied Piper) based on Carl Zuckmayer’s text became a similarly huge success.
The central theme in Cerha’s work is the role of the social outsider. Cerha himself was a declared opponent of the NS regime, who deserted and fled to a hut in the Tyrolian mountains. He remained faithful to this position as an outsider also later when the avant-garde artist was regarded as a “destructive element in Vienna’s musical culture. In the meanwhile the outsider has become fully integrated. In 2002 his opera “Der Riese vom Steinfeld“ (The Giant of Steinfeld) authored together with Peter Turrini was performed successfully at Vienna State Opera. In 2004 he presented “Requiem” – his “opus summum”. Cerha has been granted high distinctions, e.g. the Prize of the City of Vienna, the Great Austrian State Prize and the Badge of Honour for Science and Art. ■

The official programme of King Albert II of Belgium for his stay in Vienna on 28 September 2006 did not only include attendance of a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE and talks with Federal President Heinz Fischer but also a cultural highlight – the Liechtenstein Museum. The King and his delegation visited the sumptuous garden palace accommodating the art treasures of the Princely Collections. He was impressed by numerous Flemish paintings, in particular by “Venus in front of the mirror“ (1613/14) by Peter Paul Rubens. At the end of the tour in front of the so-called Badminton Cabinet, Museum Director Johann Kräftner presented the King with a copy of the limited special edition of the catalogue of the Princely Collections. ■

Artist Bernd Koller living in Vienna receives the Georg Eisler Prize 2006 of Bank Austria Creditanstalt (BA-CA) based on the unanimous decision of an international jury. The prize offered above all to young painters has been awarded annually since 1998. With a prize money of 12,000 euro, it is one of Austria’s financially most rewarding distinctions. The jury highlighted Koller’s role as an outsider in the young art scene. “His very sensitive and authentic water-colour paintings and drawings between the abstract and the figurative deviate from the mainstream of contemporary art”, the Director of BA-CA Kunstforum, Ingried Brugger, explained the decision. Koller, who was born in Fusch (Salzburg) in 1971, studied at the Academy of Visual Arts in Vienna from 1989 to 1995, e.g. in Arnulf Rainer’s class. Since 1991 he has been represented in numerous exhibitions, recently in “Austrian Art“ at the Meulenstein Art Museum in Bratislava. In 2007 the artist – “with his quiet and at the same time intense works” – will be presented at BA-CA Kunstforum, informed Brugger. ■

The aim of the “State Prize for Advertising” granted for exemplary Austrian advertising campaigns is to set standards for quality advertising. The Austrian advertising industry stands out for its high creative potential and great significance for the Austrian economy. The new State Prize for Advertising is expected to strengthen the international competitiveness and image of the Austrian advertising industry. It is therefore considered an important qualitative contribution to Austria’s communication sector.
The State Prize for Advertising 2006 goes to the advertising agency Demner, Merlicek & Berg-mann for the advertising campaign “Ja! Natürlich”. The award was presented in the framework of the Austrian Media Days in Vienna on 29 September 2006 by Secretary of State for Art and Media Morak and Hans-Jörgen Manstein. The prize-winning spot for healthy food from Austria with a talking pig (previously receiving several other awards) had been selected for its “consistent, catchy and clear market strategy”, explained the jury. As a bench-mark for quality advertising, the State Prize was an important factor for the global compete-tiveness of the Austrian advertising industry, stressed Minister for Economics and Labour Martin Bartenstein. “The gross advertising expenditure” has doubled to 2.2. billion euro in Austria within the past ten years“, he stated. ■

The exhibition “German Expressionists – with masterpieces from the Thyssen Bornemisza Collection“ shown at Leopold Museum in Vienna’s art district Museumsquartier until 10 January 2007 was opened on 27 September 2006 by Federal President Heinz Fischer in the presence of Francesca von Habsburg (whose father is the passionate art collector Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza) and Rudolf Leopold. About 130 oil paintings, drawings, prints, water-colour paintings and sculptures were selected by Professor Leopold and Michael Fuhr. The most important loans come from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza Madrid, Nationalgalerie Berlin, Nolde Foundation Seebüll as well as public collections and private owners in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Scotland and Liechtenstein. The show concentrates on the generation of young avant-garde artists before WWI., ushering in modernism in Germany. Among the artists exhibited are Ludwig Meidner, Wilhelm Lehm-bruck, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Max Pechstein, Otto Mueller, Emil Nolde, Wassily Kandinsky, Alexej von Jawlensky, August Macke, Otto Dix, Georg Grosz and Max Beckmann. ■

Between 13 and 25 October 2006, the Viennale Film Festival 2006 presents 315 films from 47 countries. The festival is opened with the hit of the Venice Film Festival, Stephan Frear’s “The Queen“, starring Helen Mirren. The Viennale festival is closed with Robert Altmann’s late work “A Prairie Home Companion“ about a US country music show, in which Meryl Streep acts as a singer. As usual, numerous first films are shown. But the programme also includes recent works of established film directors like Dario Argento, Jonathan Demme and Aki Kaurismäki. Austrian film is presented mainly in the section “News from Home“ with 12 documentaries, e.g. by Andrea Eckert, Ruth Beckermann and Anja Salomonowitz. The retrospective at Film Museum is dedicated to the French directors’ duo Jacques Demi and Agnès Varda. ■

With the new “Musiktank“ at Haus der Musik, Vienna’s “CD-On-Demand Music Store” opens it second branch after the shop at Museums-quartier (MQ). About 6000 titles of Austrian performers from Wolfgang Ambros to Joe Zawinul are available for 99 cents per song. Music fans can now create individual compilations and have them burnt on CD on the spot. Rare music no longer sold in ordinary shops is also offered at the store. The quality of the music is superior to the standard MP3 format. The CDs are sold with an attractive CD cover and a detailed track list providing information on the performers selected. ■

Leopoldstadt, the 2^nd district of Vienna, is once more the focus of Jewish life in the federal capital of Austria. The aim of the TschikTschak Festival (18 to 24 October 2006) is to present and discuss new tendencies of contemporary Jewish art. European Jewish identity can evolve only out of the confrontation between tradition and modernity, the friction with other cultures. This principle is also illustrated by the live band “Musicians of the Diaspora“, a DJ line with Klezmer, Balkan music, Rai, oriental mix or the new adaptation of the play “The Blond Jewish Girl“ by Stefan Sablić (Belgrade), which will receive its Austrian premiere. The festival is supported inter alia by the Federal Chancellery, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the City of Vienna. ■

On 12 December 2002 Austria and Switzerland were officially selected to host the European Football Championship 2008. Thus the world’s third major sports event will take place in Austria. The financing agreements (technical preparations, organisation of enlarging facilities for EURO 2008 as well as necessary investments) for the four stadiums in Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and Vienna were signed. The negotiations on details concerning the four venues were concluded on 9 November 2004 (“stadium agreement”). The public sector (federal government, Länder, municipalities) invest a total of about 160 million euro in the preparations of the European Football Championship. Hence, from the political perspective there is a need for coordination and presentation going beyond direct tournament organisation. Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Vice-Chancellor Hubert Gorbach as well as the Chairpersons of the Association “Österreich am Ball“, Susanne Riess-Passer and Beppo Mauhart, presented Heinz Palme as the federal government’ chief coordinator for the accompanying events of EURO 2008. “We want to make the European Football Championship 2008 a top event and to position Austria optimally. We have a tremendous opportunity to showcase our athletes as well as our skills as hosts and organisers in Europe. It is a great chance for tourism, sport and culture. We must be well-prepared. We have brought a top professional into our team. Heinz Palme will become the federal government’s chief coordinator for the European Football Championship 2008. He did an excellent and highly professional job at the Football World Cup in Germany. He had made an important contribution, and we all witnessed the great success of this world championship“, stated Schüssel. “We want to convey a message and a mission with the European Championship 2008. This has been done successfully at the Football World Cup in Germany, and I am convinced that we will also present Austria successfully. Austria stands for youthfulness, creativity and dynamism. Around the world the concepts ‘worth living’ and ‘worth loving’ are associated with Austria“, said Heinz Palme. As the chief co-ordinator of the Austrian federal government, he would be open to people’s wishes and campaign for the mission of EURO 2008 in road shows, events and lectures. “We have to arouse people’s interest in this mass event and involve them actively. For EURO 2008 to be a success it is important that this event is declared a top priority. And the Austrian federal government is supporting my efforts“, concluded Palme. The total reach of the European Football Championship is about 8 billion people. This could help to boost the image enormously, which would also have an impact on the national economy.
According to a study of the Economic Chamber Austria and the Austrian Football Federation (ÖFB), the European Championship will become a huge success for the economy. The building industry expects an additional value-added of about 90 million euro, while a plus of about 150 million euro is likely in tourism. The European Championship will create between 5000 and 6000 new short-term or medium-term jobs. The total value-added effects in Austria are estimated at about 400 million euro. On 1 March 2003, a contract to promote measures for building an internationally competitive national team by 2008 had been signed with the ÖFB. The project “Challenge 2008“ regularly summons the most promising kickers to participate in training courses and games with a view to enhancing their international competi-tiveness. With well-targeted promotion and training programmes, (sports psychology, media training) seminars as well as counselling by sports scientists, the teams are supported in cooperation with their original clubs. The total budget allocated by the federal government to “Challenge 2008“is about 1,816 million euro. ■