The request came from the opposition last year: in May 2023, the SPÖ, Greens and Neos united in calling for “a public symposium on the development of democracy in Upper Austria to be held as soon as possible,” to which experts should be invited.
Previously, the three parties had repeatedly pushed for an abolition of the proportional system in the state government and for more control rights for the state parliament. Unsuccessful – because the FPÖ and ÖVP insisted on maintaining proportional representation, which automatically guarantees parties of a certain size one or more seats in government.
The democracy symposium will take place – at the invitation of the state parliament on Thursday, March 14th, in the OÖN Forum in Linz.
Martina Zandonella from the opinion research institute Foresight and the Innsbruck philosopher Marie-Luisa Frick will give lectures as experts. Afterwards, there will be a debate between the club chairmen of the state parliament parties, in which topics such as the proportional representation system and more control rights for the state parliament will also be discussed.
“Apart from day-to-day politics, we want to look at how we can inspire citizens to actively participate in the political process,” says State Parliament President Max Hiegelsberger (VP), formulating his expectations. Central questions are also “how we deal with each other in the state parliament and come to jointly supported decisions”.
expectations of the opposition
This is probably where the common path with the opposition diverges. The democracy symposium must be “the initial spark for proportionality and the political modernization of Upper Austria,” demands Green Party leader Severin Mayr. The “supposedly broad cooperation through proportional representation” does not exist “in black-blue practice” Upper Austria is also the only federal state in which the establishment of an investigative committee in the state parliament is not a minority right, “Upper Austria has a democratic deficit that we have to remedy” says Mayr.
SP constitutional spokesman Tobias Höglinger sees it similarly. He is pushing for concrete steps – for example with the U-committees – and is renewing his demand for elections every five years in Upper Austria too. Upper Austria is the only federal state with a six-year legislative period.
Livestream on Thursday from 1 p.m
On Thursday you can follow the symposium in the live stream on from 1 p.m. This is the symposium program:
- 1:00 p.m.: Welcome by State Parliament President Max Hiegelsberger
- 1:15 p.m.: State Governor Thomas Stelzer
- 1:45 p.m.: Democracy Monitor – Martina Zandonella, Senior Researcher, Foresight Research Hofinger GmbH
- 2:15 p.m.: Democratic future viability as shared responsibility – Marie-Luisa Frick, Institute of Philosophy, University of Innsbruck
- 2:45 p.m.: Coffee break
- 3:15 p.m.: Discussion with the club leaders of the state parliamentary groups
- 4:15 p.m.: Summary of State Parliament President Max Hiegelsberger
- 4:30 p.m.: End of the symposium and conclusion
