EN
The Christian Socialists played an important role in Austria’s interwar party system. Their ambivalent attitude to parliamentary democracy was a reflection of a disaffected political culture. The party demanded the implementation of corporate elements in the political system. Repeated failures to create a government coalition with a stable majority in the National Council, fear of a loss of power to ever-more popular Nazis and the consequences of the Great Depression strengthened ideas within Christian Socialists for extra-parliamentary rule. In spring 1933, authoritative party representatives took advantage of unprecedented events in the National Council to begin the gradual elimination of parliamentary democracy. The passive attitude of the opposition and the essential indifference of the Austrian public helped the implementation of the authoritative changes.