Coalitions, conflict and cooperation

The recent collapse of the Austrian coalition government proves the pitfalls of cooperation

 
In the case of co-operation, Corporate Communciations has a lot to teach that of Politcal Communciations, if the recent collapse of Austria’s coalition governement is anything to go by. The latest Austrian goverment  lasted for only one year and a half. After the national elections in 2006 a grand coalition between the social democrats (Sozialdemokratische Partei Oesterreichs/SPOE) and the conservative People’s Party (Oesterreichische Volkspartei/OEVP) failed to create a stable cooperation. Its work was overcast by an image of permanent conflict, its communication team failed to explain the necessity of a coalition beyond the need for a majority. Following the break up on July 7th, new federal elections are to be held at the end of September.

Peter Filzmaier

Peter Filzmaier is professor of political science and head of the Department for Political Communication at Danube University in Krems, as well as managing partner of the Institute for Strategic Analysis (ISA) in Vienna.

Flooh Perlot

Flooh Perlot is political scientist and scientific co-ordinator at the Institute for Strategic Analysis (ISA) in Vienna.