NEOS – The New Austria
Neos - The New Austria and Liberal Forum ( NEOS ) is a liberal party in Austria. It was in October 2012 under the party name Neos - The New Austria founded and entered the parliamentary election in Austria in 2013 in a coalition with the Liberal Forum on with which it merged in the episode in January 2014. At the last general election in 2013 the party won 5.0% of the vote and is therefore represented in the National Council with nine members.
- 3.1 participation
- 3.2 Financing
History
The founding convention on 27 October 2012 in the Vienna Urania. The initiator of Neos, the Vorarlberg Strolz Matthias, was elected by the delegates present with 96.2 % of the vote for chairman. Originating Party is a product of movements such as "Phoenix" and " Austria says " who had used in 2012 for more democracy. Shortly after its founding, in January 2013, belonged to her about Neos over 1000 members.
National elections in 2013
Beginning in March 2013 it was announced that Neos with the Liberal Forum (LIF ) and the Young Liberals ( JuLis ) had established an electoral alliance that occurred under the umbrella brand NEOS. As an expression of this partnership, members of the LIF and the JuLis were represented on the board of Neos. Mid- March 2013 went beyond even former members of the Green Economy at the Neos. Among them were former federal and provincial spokesman. Another partner for the election platform was announced the Online Party of Austria in April 2013.
In April 2013 Neos led the first public primaries by a party to the creation of the Federal list. In this system, each decided to one-third citizens in a public vote on the Internet, the Neos Neos Management Board and all members on the ranking of the candidates. The candidacy was not dependent on a party member of Neos and the candidates came after a brief hearing the three Vorwahlmodi. The final composition of the federal list of Neos for departure in the national election in 2013 was announced on May 1, 2013. On 19 July 2013, the parties announced they had reached in all provinces the necessary number of declarations of support in order to compete nationwide in the national election can. As of September 5, also promoted the industial Hans Peter Haselsteiner, who was previously occurred only as donors and supporters for the party, actively seek votes for the NEOS, although he himself did not on chien on the electoral lists of the party.
In the election, the party was led by the name " The New NEOS Austria and Liberal Forum " with the short name " NEOS " on the ballot. She reached in the choice of 5.0% of the votes and a total of 9 seats in the National Council. Thus, the party moved in with his swearing-in ceremony on 29 October 2013, the Club of NEOS and LIF as the smallest party in the XXV. Austrian National Council.
Merger with the Liberal Forum
After the successful first national election, the two previously independent parties to the electoral alliance decided to merge. This merger took place on 25 January 2014 as part of a party convention, which of the parties Neos - The New Liberal Forum Austria and the new party Neos - The New Austria and Liberal Forum was formed. Elected chairman of the new party of former NEOS - chairman Matthias Strolz was elected, his deputies were the former head of the Liberal Forum, Angelika Mlinar and the chairman of the NEOS in Vienna, Beate Meinl Reisinger. As part of the merger and the National Club was renamed Club of NEOS January 30, 2014.
On March 22 was also the involvement of the third party from the former electoral alliance in the national election. The Young Liberals ( JuLis ) were divided under a federal congress in Salzburg under the new name JUNOS - Young Liberal NEOS into the party and were thus its official youth organization. National Chairman of the JUNOS was the former chairman and JuLis NEOS Member of Parliament Nicholas Scherak, who was previously a board member of NEOS.
In the municipal elections in Salzburg on March 9, 2014, the Neos were able to achieve at least a mandate in the relevant municipal council the first time shows, in four communities in the state of Salzburg ( Salzburg, Hallein, upper strand and Abtenau ) in each of these communities. In the city of Salzburg 12.4 % of voters chose the Neos, which for these five seats in the municipal council as well - meant a city council post - as the fourth- strongest force by a narrow margin to the FPÖ.
Open in early 2014, three-level primaries led the party instead of as with the previous parliamentary elections to nominate their candidates for the 2014 European elections. For this pre-election process was on 15 February 2014, the Deputy Party Chairman and Member of Parliament Angelika Mlinar emerged as the top candidate. The arrival in the European election itself is ensured by the fact that only require the approval of three Member of Parliament in order to guarantee a party to the commencement of the election.
Program
In preparation for the national elections of 2013, the party worked out a 9 ½ - point plan, which served as a programmatic guide for the party members. The entire party program in which the results of each topic groups were incorporated, called the party " plans for a new Austria ".
Neos of content, the thematic priorities in the areas of education, Europe, and direct democracy. The party occurs after a liberal understanding for a strong autonomy of schools. After the presentation of the party, there will be a competition of school models and an average maturity consistent standards. Politically, Europe enters a Neos for a European federal state. The medium term, an EU-wide Convention, whose members are elected by the people, work out a new constitution. In addition, party founder Strolz has opted for the lowering of party funding by 75 percent.
During the election campaign before the national election 2013, Neos positioned programmatically in the field of intergenerational justice and there especially with regard to the applicable Austrian pension system. The party demanded that pensions monthly cut in the amount of 5,000 euro by 15 percent and pensions over 2,500 euros should not be adjusted annually for inflation, to make the pension system again " enkelfit ".
Organizational structure
The party Neos - The New Austria and Liberal Forum is a party constituted under Austrian law and the Ministry of Interior registered. As an association also maintains the party in a general assembly, which is the highest organ of the party, and may take any relevant decisions. Unlike other clubs or parties holding Neos monthly membership meetings, chaired by a three -member Executive Committee from to allow the greatest possible involvement of party members in the decision-making processes. Appointed by the General Assembly, the Executive Board of the party, which is responsible for the operational management between general meetings.
Participation
Content positions to be developed at Neos in so-called " interest groups ", which several party members can belong and within which discussions take place to position the party as a whole. In addition, Bürger_innenforen and Expert_innenforen can be set up to involve citizens and experts in the decision making. In addition, the party has the opportunity to participate in most of these forums and online, as well as the voting in general meetings can be done online.
The organizational structures of Neos in the provinces are not independent state parties, but each part of the Austria -wide party. Nevertheless, there is for each state a so-called national speaker who takes over the coordination of the activities in the state.
Financing
Despite their commitment to the reduction of the party promoting the party, like all other parties that are represented in the National supported by the State party funding, which amounts to after the national election to a total of approximately 4.9 million euros per year. Due to the fact that Neo could not receive any government funding party before the national election, the party funded until then exclusively by donations. First, put on a form of micro - funding, ie, mainly small donations from individuals, and these have both been published completely transparent within the framework of the website of Neos. Did not want to be publicly called a donor, so he had to explicitly specify this when donating. Anonymous donations took Neos from the outset not to, which was announced to want to pass on such donations to a charitable organization.
Later came more patrons, such as the industrialist Hans Peter Haselsteiner, the Liberal Forum for the deputy had been to the National Council previously in the 1990s and had the LIF always supported financially to up to 2,200 small donors. A total of 840,000 euros have been up to July 25, 2013, according to the party benefits form.