1945 General Election - Austrian Election Series

[Cranberry]

The choice is yours, ladies and gentlemen, the first election of the newly free Austria has arrived. Currently governed by an interim cabinet led by SPÖ politician Karl Renner yet made up of politicians from all three parties, Austria is on crossroads, uncertain of whether it's people will want to follow the path of the communist USSR or follow its neighbours Germany, Switzerland and Italy and the path of the capitalist West.

Many Austrians that had been in any way entangled with the NSDAP during or already before the war were not eligible to vote in this election, in total around 800'000.

The following three choices were presented to the Austrian people:

SPÖ:
The SPÖ under Chancellor Karl Renner stand for the middle-of-the-road option, that is no more than necessary entanglement with either side in the emerging global conflict between USSR and USA. The party stands furthermore for a swift withdrawal of allied forces and the refounding of Austria as a sovereign nation, while also hoping for a swift process of rebuilding the damaged country, in means of nationalising the main industries.

ÖVP:
The ÖVP under interim Governor of Lower Austria Leopold Figl presents same as their predecessor in the First Republic the natural option for rural farmers and what is remaining of the middle class. They are strongly anti-communist, not necessarily more pro-American than the other parties however, pursuing a neutral position for Austria once it regains its sovereignity. They are sceptical of measures to nationalise big industries, rather they propagate the founding of statal agrarian marketing collectives.

KPÖ:
The KPÖ, refounded after the Second World War, is the option for any Austrian that wants to see the nation inside the USSR-corridor of power. They support full-scale communist policies, wanting to transform Austria into a Soviet-style communist nation.

[Cranberry]

If the communists were to win, would the series immediately end?

If in 45 and 49, probably yes xD
Later on though... Let's say I hope you keep them a major party for a longer time than in RL, I do plan to make things more interesting

Still 2 days to vote, by the way, and I have to say I am most pleasantly surprised by the high turnout so far!

[Cranberry]

This poll is stop open for a little more than 24 hours.

[Cranberry]

SPÖ. They also supported Anschluß.

About everyone did, so this is quite irrelevant I would think.

[Cranberry]

SPÖ. They also supported Anschluß.

About everyone did, so this is quite irrelevant I would think.

Moreso than the CSP.
Just so that everybody knows

Mainly because the Christian Socials wanted a Germany led by Catholic Austria, not the other way round.
If you want the party that really was against the Anschluss, you won't come short of voting for the KPÖ.

[Cranberry]

One of my reservations against the OVP incidentally was their active participation in the First Republic in the establishment of Austrofascism and the suppression of the socialists. At least according to Wiki, Figl was a tutee of Dolfuss in politics.

Oh yes, the ÖVP founding fathers were nearly all coming from the Ständestaat-political hierarchy. They were however often also just coming out of Concentration Camps as well (as were many SPÖ-politicans, the communists mostly spent the war in Moscow)

[Cranberry]

I love this participation by the way!

[Cranberry]

Voting is now closed, thank you for your very numerous participation!