Alliance for the Future of Austria facts for kids

BZÖ logo since 2011

The Alliance for the Future of Austria (German: Bündnis Zukunft Österreich, shortenend to BZÖ) is a political party in Austria that was led by Jörg Haider until he died in October 2008. The current leader is Josef Bucher.

Policies

The BZÖ describes itself as "ideologiefrei, aber zukunftsorientiert und wertebewusst" (free from ideology, but forward-looking and conscious of traditional values). Some of its policies, however, are quite different from those of the Freedom Party. They include:

• An increase in direct democracy
• A Europe of nation states
• The establishment of a "Core Europe" within the EU, including Austria
• Support for the social market economy
• Minimum employment and environmental standards for businesses
• The introduction of the Tobin tax
• Support for small businesses
• Increased government spending on research and development
• A minimum wage
• Enhancing the status of vocational education (including an apprenticeship leading to the Matura)
• The introduction of a flat tax
• Tax breaks for childcare expenses
• An EU-wide Green tax shift
• Strict control of immigration
• A "fair and strict" law on asylum
• A referendum on Austrian neutrality
• Comprehensive schooling for children from six to fifteen
• Compulsory pre-schooling
• Compulsory German lessons for the children of immigrants
• Support for organic farming
• The renationalisation of agriculture
• The abolition of inheritance tax
• The establishing of a Canadian like Green card model as part of the immigration process
• Bisection of National Council, Federal government, Landtage and federal state government
• Intermission of compulsory military service and replacement by voluntary army.

Images for kids

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  Jörg Haider founded the BZÖ in 2005, after failing to reform the FPÖ into a more moderate party.

See also

In Spanish: Unión por el Futuro para niños