History of Austria

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Austria's history spans the entire course of eRepublik, as one of the original nations existing since the beginning. It has experienced several distinct eras - periods of growth, decline, and rebirth - with many key players that helped to define their eras, and the nation.

Early History (November 2007 - March 2009)

The very earliest times in Austria remain shrouded in mystery, due to a lack of record keeping. It is suspected that the first months were very sparsely populated. No records have been found for November or December 2007, and thus the first president of Austria is completely unknown.

During the term of the second president, records begin to appear. Although his name is not listed, the country was reported to have 17 players, and an inactive government. The first known figure, named frsd – a real life Austrian – organized opposition to the government and became the third president of Austria in February 2008. Without a newspaper, there is again little first-hand accounting of this time frame – however due to other records, the government seems to have been well run and the treasury grew. Without the war module having been implemented yet, it was by default a period of peace – with few players, yet a presence of Austrians mixed with foreigners. Among these was VoXX, who would lead the party known as the Austrian Democrats.

Growth and Conflict (March – May 2008)

In March 2008, VoXX was elected the fourth president (it is not clear if frsd ran for re-election). The treasury continued to grow – and Austria grew closer to Sweden, a nation that was, at the time, the most powerful and populous e-nation (and the nation of VoXx's origin). It was during this time that the nation began to grow, largely due to Slovenians joining the game in Austria (as Slovenia had not been added to the game yet). Centering around Salzburg, they founded the Austrian Socialist Party, with Emdvojka as its leader.

With the implementation of the war module, the first conflicts of the world began – including a small clash between Slovakia and Austria – one which ended with the status quo. Meanwhile on the domestic front, the national growth set the stage for one of the first political clashes, with VoXx's incumbency matching up against the new guard in Emdvojka's Socialist Party of Austria. Arguing that it was his leadership which led to the national growth, and against the inexperience of Emdvojka, ultimately it was the new guard which would sweep to victory in April.

Unwilling to accept the outcome, VoXx emptied the entire treasury of the nation during the closing hours of the presidential race, fleeing to eSweden with a reported 1085 gold. Left to pick up the pieces was the incoming president, Emdvojka. The task would prove difficult, and ultimately there were large disagreements about the best way to move forward. Opponents of the socialistic policies of the government split away, to form the Nacionalna stranka Karantanije (NSK) under the lead of Karantanec, and later the Alternative Way (AW) as well, led by Nejcman.

The month of April also saw a new change, with further growth in the population coming from an influx of Italian players. This would prove an issue of contention as well, with the AW and NSK wary of continued immigration, and the SPA supportive. In the May 2008 presidential race, a coalition between the AW and NSK would lead Nejcman to victory over the SPA.

Changing of the Guard (May – June 2008)

During Nejcman's term, hospitals were purchased for several cities, which at the time were essential towards restoring health and at forming a more effective fighting force. The number of Italian players continued to grow, finally forming a party of their own: the Austrian International Movement, led by mappina. Giving a direct voice to the Italian population, the center-left party formed a natural alliance with the SPA – the only existing party that was not opposed to working with Italians.

The AIM's influence would prove decisive in the June 2008 election, as they backed the SPA's candidate, sheeptar, over Nejcman (backed by the AW and NSK). In a replay of April's election, outgoing president Nejcman would take with him the entire treasury of eAustria – this time a reported 2000 gold.

For the second time in two months, the incoming president was faced with a tall order of dealing with a massive economic setback. But with the creation of the nation of Slovenia, many of the previous citizens would depart for the new country, causing even more economic turmoil and a collapse in the value of the ATS. With far fewer Slovenian players remaining, politics saw turnover as well. The AIM was left in a new role as the dominant party of the nation. How they would handle this new role would prove vital: seeking to work with people of all nationalities and move past the previous disputes, the stage was set for what many would regard as a golden age in Austria.

The Austrian International Movement (July 2008 - January 2009)

Elected president in July 2008, mappina would set a new standard for presidents of Austria in many ways. Proving a very active player, she brought Austria into a more prominent role in the world stage - first joining the Mediterannean Alliance and then its successor, PEACE GC, as a founding member. While previous months saw vast turnover from month to month in the government, by incorporating different players of differing views (and nationalities), a growing sense of national identity was able to be fostered beyond the more fractured community of previous months.

For the first time in eAustrian history, an incumbent president was re-elected in August - and then a month later, re-elected again. Serving three consecutive terms, a gold standard was set which future presidents would seek to emulate in the coming years.

While mappina proved very popular, this time period was not without its disagreements, with Chicco staking out a position as leader of the opposition, largely over economic issues. Nonetheless, the AIM would have an undeniably dominant role in eAustrian politics - at its height containing over 110 members. After three months as president, mappina would step aside in favor of her chosen successor, Aanok Tourmil, who would continue her policies. mappina herself would, however, leave Austria for Italy after the completion of her final term.

October saw the emergence of a new factor in Austria: Serbian players who awaited the addition of their country. Like Slovenians before them, they looked to Austria as a place to make their mark in the meantime. Remembering the recent past where they represented the untrusted newcomers, Aanok and the AIM looked cooperatively towards the new immigrants and sought common ground in order to strengthen the country. Choosing not to run again, Aanok supported Danny Boodmann T. D. Lemon Nov, also of the AIM, as his successor.

Despite the successes in establishing a far more stable state of affairs - and a more prominent role for Austria - interest began to wane in many members of the AIM, who left for Italy. This was accelerated by the implementation of "Version 1" of eRepublik, which brought many changes to game mechanics. It also marked a final end of the Austrian International Movement. Aanok Tourmil was one of the remaining players of the former party, who sought to turn around the sense of decline. Forming the Austrian Liberal Party out of the AIM's ashes, the month of December saw a push for a finalization of the constitution of Austria. But the momentum was not there, and the balance of power shifted once again, this time from the Italian-centered parties towards the Serbian-centered Austrian-Serbian Alliance, which gained even non-Serbian supporters such as Q J Lincoln.

Months of Turmoil (January - March 2009)

Azoo Lazzo - With full support of Austrians and Serbs, he became first Serbian president in eRepublik and first Serbian president of Austria on January 6th.

Elected president in January 2009 with broad support of his own party and the remaining ALP members, Azoo Lazzo arrival was marked with a hope that this transition would be a smooth one. However, with no activity in the first 10 days, and no ministers appointed, suspicions began to grow to the otherwise. Finally, on January 16th, the first action occured: a theft of the entire Austrian treasury. Although Azoo initially played it off as a "mistake," the complicated steps required to transfer the large sum of money left a documented trail which was discovered by Hrvat, Q J Lincoln, and other loyalists.

The outcry was immediate, with many members of Azoo's own party taking a harsh stance against his actions. With the creation of eSerbia, eAustria saw yet another mass exodus, and the economic damage from the theft was compounded further. Through negotiations, a return of some of the stolen funds was achieved - but the damage had been done. Dispirited by the massive betrayal, and far reduced in population, some eAustrian players began to consider different ways forward.

Chicco revealed his run for the presidency of Austria shortly before the February presidential elections. In his manifesto, he put forward many policies that he believed would rebuild Austria, but most of all he stated that "Austria is not a viable nation". He proposed to combine with another nearby nation for the good of Austria and he promised that, if elected, he would start diplomatic talks with the Presidents of all neighboring nations.

This proved to be a highly contentious idea, as some refused to give up on the idea of an independent, sovereign Austria despite the recent setbacks. Nonetheless, Chicco was elected president against Silent Bob, a candidate who favored an even more extreme step of handing over all regions to Hungary immediately. As President, Chicco announced that it had been agreed with Germany to unite both nations as Austria-German Union.

In February 2009, the Austro-German Union was created with the help of, Isy, President of Germany and Chicco, President of Austria. This union began to be implemented, with Germany moving one by one to occupy Austrian regions. Yet the plan was never able to be fully implemented, due to resistance wars established by PEACE GC (Germany being a member of the opposing alliance, ATLANTIS.) A combination of these resistance wars, and Silent Bob's slim victory over Chicco in the March 2009 election (due in large part to many of Chicco's supporters having moved to Germany) spelled an end to the union, yet not the question of whether an independent Austria could succeed. With a virtually non-existent government during the month, and a near total decimation of political leadership, Austria stood at its lowest point thus far. The stage was set for the nations reins to be taken up by a new group of leaders.

Rebirth (April 2009 - February 2010)

The defining issue of the time immediately preceding this been settled: the few remaining players were committed to an independent Austria. While this task was not disputed, the challenge would be how to accomplish it - returning regions and stabilizing the country. By the end of this era, this would be accomplished.

Rot Weiss Rot (April 2009 - September 2009)

The community that remained in Austria, though small, of course had differing views in politics. But these issues proved secondary towards the central challenges: the community was largely cohesive and willing to work together in these early days. The leader of the anti-AGU effort, Metallon, was a natural choice to act as leader now. He had worked with Hungary, Slovenia, and Italy in the previous war to end the AGU - now he would work with them on securing a responsible return of the occupied regions, using the ties he had built previously.

Metallon founded the first - and for a time only - party in this new Austria - the Rot Weiss Rot. The patriotic name outlined again the main goal of securing an independent Austria. While the RWR would act more or less as a “catch-all” party in its earliest days, allowing all people in the community to run for office, it certainly tilted towards social democracy overall as this was the leanings of the leadership.

While some would call for an immediate return of all regions, Metallon favored a slow return - with just 1 region, only 10 congress seats would be up for a vote. As there was no such thing as citizenship at that time, anyone could move in and run for a seat. If all 40 seats were being contested, regular players could easily be outnumbered by people who simply moved at the last minute to run. Thus it was preferred to deal only with 10 seats at first before eAustria grew.

Metallon would represent the RWR in the first two presidential elections of this era, each time running unopposed (17-0 in April, 43-0 in May). With few people in the nation at all, few were in the government - in fact, for much of his terms he would be listed as the only member of the cabinet. This meant that the president was a very important role, responsible for most tasks. Likewise, the small congress was not very influential at this time: most decisions were deferred to the president.

After his two terms, Metallon chose Lynari to be his successor - who took a different tact to the presidency as Austria continued to grow. The cabinet would be expanded as more players were included - and Lynari struck a more collaborative tone with players. Though undoubtedly, the presidency remained in control of decision-making.

This diplomatic tact was shown abroad as well - Lynari would gain Germany's formal recognition of Austrian independence late in his first term, turning a page and setting the place for what would eventually become an alliance in later months.

While the RWR was undoubtedly the most influential party of this era, it would not stay the only party. This era saw a large amount of growth in the community as regions slowly returned, and as the community grew, divisions became more visible as well. Socialists would be the first to form a new party - the Socialist Party of Austria (SP) - led by Primeminister Keogh, with Ministry of Finance Robert Knotsworth being a prominent member. They favored a more active government, in particular, in the realm of helping new citizens, through the creation of government programs.

Next to form was the Illuminus Austria by Antonio Salgado in July - an expansionist party with an emphasis on experienced players, and closer ties with PEACE GC. While they agreed with the near-term goal of regaining Austria’s regions, they also wanted to expand past these borders and conquer new territories afterwards.

And finally, it would see the Osterreich Independence Party (ÖIP) form in August with Travis James as its founder - a liberal party favoring a peaceful foreign policy and less expansive government. While it would be critical towards the government’s economic policy, it differed greatest with the Illuminus Austria’s vision for expansion.

As these parties grew, towards the later part of this era, there would be more strains showing between the groups. Yet Lynari, leader of the RWR, would remain a popular president. More centrist than Metallon, he was able to diplomatically walk the line between the now growing parties and their different ideals. These other parties would be included into the cabinet, and find an ability to influence policy. After Metallon’s two terms, Lynari would be elected to three terms in this period, each by a large margin in his own right (65.12%, 63.79%, 69.31%).

The RWR’s dominant and largely uncontested role defined this period - as did the quest for returning all regions. In late August, this quest would come to its successful end with the return of the final region - Burgenland - to Austria from Hungary. With the defining challenge of the era having been met, the greatest force keeping the different factions together was no more. Austria had begun this era numbering in the 10’s - 17 votes were cast in April - now it numbered in the hundreds (over 100 votes were cast in August).

Fittingly, the “One Party Era” came to a definitive end when the Illuminus Austria (IA) ended its support of the RWR, challenging them for the Presidency in September 2009, and for dominance in Austrian politics

Assertive IA (August - September 2009)

Previously supportive of the Rot Weiss Rot (RWR), the Illuminus Austria (IA) found its moment. Having grown significantly in the last few months, especially from international players who moved to Austria, it broke with the RWR, pushing for an expansionist foreign policy, and a more active role in the broader world war. There was a plan to attract PEACE GC “tanks” - powerful soldiers - to move to Austria, along with influential members of the alliance. Dischmcds was among these players to join - a multi-term president in the eUK and eMexico. Along with strengthening the Austrian army and Austria’s influence in PEACE GC, these new players helped solidify the IA’s position in Austrian politics.

They also found a huge boost when Metallon - the original founder of the RWR - moved to the IA and agreed to run for president under their banner. But President Lynari, fresh off the success of seeing all regions returned, and still personally very popular, was not ready to step aside. He entered the race for what would be an unprecedented fourth consecutive term. He found support from the liberal Osterreich Independence Party (ÖIP), which had grown since its founding. As it favored a peaceful, defensive foreign policy - and was opposed to mass immigration - the RWR was a natural ally against the IA, even if the RWR was not wholly signed onto their same agenda.

In the first contest (September 2009) pitting the two key figures of the previous era against each other, Metallon came out ahead - delivering a win to the newly dominant IA - over Lynari and the RWR (47.79% to 44.85%).

September would see several changes in Austria, including a significant turnover in the cabinet, with many longtime RWR members being replaced by the IA. This set the stage for one of the most contentious months politically in Austria, as many people who had been pushed into the unfamiliar position of being outside the government - essentially being “out of work.” While the RWR had previously been known as a conciliatory party when it held the presidency, it quickly assumed the role of critical opposition. Arguments frequently turned bitter, and the media saw many articles from both members of the IA and RWR facing off, including through government papers.

Militarily, Austria had been involved in operations abroad in previous months, but in September this greatly increased. It saw the first “common hit times” take place, particularly with a deployment into Canada to aid an allied invasion force. To go with this was a significant increase in funding to the alliance’s effort. 200 gold was designated for the alliance - far more than most nations would give, even though Austria was still among the smallest nations. This donation would become controversial amongst some Austrians, and was another issue of contention.

Minister of Finance Olorum led the ministry in a policy of issuing more currency, in order to lower the overall value of the ATS (during this time, there was not a universal currency - each nation had their own). This was done with the plan to make Austria more competitive in the export market, but came under criticism particularly from the ÖIP, which favored keeping the ATS value stable.

Rising ÖIP (September - November 2009)

As with the IA, the ÖIP saw growth during August. But September would present a new opportunity. Increasingly, the feuding between the IA and RWR became perceived as personal. Even though the ÖIP had far greater differences with the IA than the RWR did - and the ÖIP certainly participated in criticisms - it stuck strictly to policy and politics under Travis James’ leadership. This significantly raised its profile and earned new members who grew tired of the other parties.

As well, the central push of the party - a defensive, peaceful foreign policy - grew increasingly popular by Austrians, wary of too much involvement (both military and monetary) in the world war, and to the impacts of being an “international state.” Missteps by the IA - by far the most vocal proponent of expansion - increased this further.

As September wound down, Metallon sought re-election in October for a fourth overall term, with a planned invasion of the Czech Republic as a top agenda item. Lynari considered running again under the RWR, but declined. During Metallon’s term, the RWR begun a decline from which it would not recover, as members headed for other parties. Though it was once the largest party, it now fell behind the IA.

Seeking a candidate to challenge Metallon, instead they turned to the ÖIP - now ranked 3rd overall - who put forward Rangeley, a congress member, as their candidate in October. While the Socialist Party had not supported either candidate in September, the ÖIP openly sought them as a political ally, and would find common ground with Party President Arthur Reynolds on issues of foreign policy. On this issue as well, they would find common ground with the newly formed nationalist party, the National Front of Austria, led by Alfred Ball.

The October presidential race saw IA’s Metallon against the ÖIP’s Rangeley - with the backing of the RWR, SP, and NFA. This race would see yet another turnover of power: the ÖIP came out on top (51.33% to 40.67%).

The new ÖIP government understood it was in a tenuous position - winning only with the backing of a broad, potentially shaky coalition. It would take a delicate balancing act to not only enact changes, but also see them upheld in future elections. While Metallon had approached the presidency as a commander, Rangeley approached it more politically. Prominent members of the previous months cabinet were given a chance to continue in their roles. Although some declined, ultimately the cabinet would include members from all major parties, including IA member Dishmcds as Minister of Finance. And the cabinet was directed to avoid media-warring, with the president instead directly addressing complaints in regular updates.

The first Constitution of Austria - which had been drafted during the previous month - was signed into law, an initiative that had backing from all parties. But on foreign policy, change would be swift: the first military order given was to withdraw from all offensive operations, sticking strictly to defensive battles. Likewise, the plan to invade the Czech Republic was scrapped entirely; instead, a deal promising mutual respect and sovereignty between Austria and the Czech Republic was brokered. This would receive criticism from the IA, which still aimed its sights towards expansion.

On economic policy, there would be softer shifts. Government programs aiding new players, which had expanded greatly over the past few months, remained the centerpiece of the Socialist Party’s agenda - a key backer of the ÖIP-led government. These were expanded, yet at the same time, their funding method was changed from tax money, to being entirely donation based, favored by the liberal ÖIP. With less money being spent on military operations as well, the focus was placed on stockpiling after the heavy spending of September - and away from manipulating the monetary market. Instead, Minister of Finance Dishmcds worked to stabilize the exchange rates.

Although tensions had cooled from the heights of the previous month, there still remained vast disagreements about which course to take - and the more vocal members of the IA were very critical of the ÖIP-led government and its policies. Meanwhile, the IA continued to grow, in part due to the continued decline of the RWR, and in part due to continued immigration. By this point in time, citizenship had been introduced, and the IA held more citizenship approvals than other parties due to their strong representation in congress.

The November race saw the IA again challenge the ÖIP and it’s supporting coalition of the RWR, SP, and NFA. Though there was speculation that Metallon might mount a bid to retake the presidency, he would decline - as would Dishmcds. Instead, Querb, a military commander within PEACE GC, represented the party. What would follow was one of the closest elections in Austrian history. By a single vote, the ÖIP came out on top (50.33% to 49.67%).

Political Re-allignment (November - December 2010)

This would prove significant - after two months of radical turnover, November re-affirmed - if by the narrowest of margins - the ÖIP’s policies. It would be a turning point for the IA, as it began to lose members. The surprising collapse of the PEACE GC alliance a few days later also removed one of the central concepts of the IA, and after this double-blow many of its members would leave for other nations. The remaining members of the IA would begin a reform under its new leader, the more liberal Oraizan, that saw it abandon its focus on expansion - while still emphasizing the importance of experience and cooperation with allies.

The collapse of PEACE GC would affect the National Front of Austria as well. Since its founding as a party in September, the NFA had grown greatly: taking a nationalistic line, it favored total withdrawal from PEACE GC. This increasingly began to cause problems with the ÖIP-led government - tensions which seemed destined to come to head until the alliance collapsed in mid-November. With this surprising turn, foreign policy became an area where all major parties essentially agreed to the status quo: remaining outside of an alliance officially, with close cooperation with allied nations.

But as one issue is settled, more always arise. With foreign policy off the table, the old coalitions would disband - parties would now fight in this new environment for the political future of the country.

By December, with the changes in the political environment, the coalition of the previous two months was no more. Four candidates ran for president - all four in agreement on foreign policy. Now, other issues would begin to take prominence. The ÖIP again fielded Rangeley, with the RWR’s backing. Wanting to further solidify their mark, the ÖIP aimed for a continuation of the previous months policies and for increased military assistance to allied France.

The NFA backed Minister of Defense Alfred Ball. With more of a military focus, the nationalist NFA aimed for a re-organization of the military after the departure of most of its heavy fighters as members of the IA left for other nations. The IA backed Chief of Staff Oraizan, who found support from the remaining IA members - including Metallon - while the Socialist Party backed its new party president, MachtGeil. The new leadership of the party was much more ideological, and less interested in political coalitions - wanting instead to raise its profile by being more assertive. In this divided field, Rangeley won a third term with 41.61% of the vote.

The December presidential race revealed the internal breakdown of what had formerly been the coalition against the IA, and would show hints of the political battles to come, as the NFA came in a strong second place - their form of nationalism now presenting the biggest competitor to the ÖIP. Though in December itself, tensions would remain low.

Meanwhile, other shifts were still occurring: the cabinet began to slowly grow in influence and power, beyond what had been seen in previous months. Meeting regularly in IRC, this began to create a closer network of players that would provide increasing consistency from month to month.

Another significant change was the growth of the real-life Austrian population. Even as eAustria grew during the summer of 2009, few of the active players were real life Austrians. By late 2009, the number had grown larger, including Vreath in November, and OEBernd in December. The government sought to reach out to Austrian players who might not speak English as well, through German translations of articles - a program undertaken by Minister of Translation Borojevic von Bonjar, himself a real life Austrian.

Borojevic would rise to prominence in his own right during December. Elected leader of the RWR, he reformed it into the Kronloyale Union Party (KU). Unlike the RWR, which had been in decline since September, the KU was an openly conservative party. The change would would be significant, as the KU began to grow.

After three consecutive terms, Rangeley did not run in January 2010. Instead, the NFA again fielded then Minister of Defense Alfred Ball against the newly formed Kronloyale Union’s candidate, Borojevic von Bonjar. The ÖIP would sit out the race officially, as both candidates had close ties to the party, allowing members to vote their conscience. The election saw the NFA come out on top, 56% to 44%.

Conservative Coalition (January - February 2010)

The National Front of Austria brought a different style to the government. While Alfred Ball would largely continue the foreign policy of the previous government - Rangeley was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs - there was a new focus on military organization. With the decline of the IA - which formed the backbone of the army - Austria’s strength on the battlefield had been reduced. It became necessary to find the “next generation” of fighters and commanders, which the government made a focus. Nonetheless, the force continued to be used defensively, mostly helping France against a Spanish invasion.

Economic policy likewise saw a continuation from the previous government, as the ÖIP’s stoneman was maintained as Minister of Finance. But domestic affairs saw a significant change in tone. While the ÖIP-led government was totally averse to any media-warring, the NFA viewed it as a recruiting tool, with the Socialist Party as their target. These disputes were both on policy and of a personal nature, which drew some criticism from the ÖIP and IA for the latter, as being inappropriate actions for the government. The strategy, however, was to some extent successful in boosting party morale and membership.

This began to draw a new dividing line in Austrian politics, which saw the more nationalist NFA on one side, and the more liberal ÖIP on the other. The final election of this era saw this dividing line tested somewhat, with the NFA throwing its support behind the conservative KU and their candidate, Borojevic von Bonjar, in an alliance of the more conservative parties. The ÖIP would back the IA’s candidate, Oraizan - a party alliance unthinkable just a few months earlier. The Socialist Party would run its own candidate however, again seeking to raise its profile, in a move that made the field more divided. Ultimately, with the IA still depleted and the KU on the rise, Borojevic’s KU came out on top (40.51% over Oraizan’s 34.81%), with the Socialist Party’s Stancel in third (13.92%).

Although not a direct competition between the two parties, the result could be seen as the NFA outboxing the ÖIP for the first time, as they now endorsed opposing candidates. It would be the first setback for the party after its period of success through the latter part of 2009.

The election of Borojevic von Bonjar brought a real-life Austrian to the presidency for the first time, a group which continued to grow. In the previous month, Penegrin (KU), PrinceOfAustria (NFA), and samu-l (NFA) all joined the game. Borojevic would not continue the media war of his predecessor, taking a more moderate tact, and instead his term began relatively calmly - representing the overall strategy of the KU towards conservative realism.

Where the February election might have been read as a success for the NFA, some key members left the party early in the month, including party president Alfred Ball. The NFA was now led by Kaiser Alex. This signalled a decline in the NFA, as it would now be the KU which found itself in the most dominant political role - albeit in one that was still very competitive.

The consensus on foreign policy was stable, even in an environment with other shifts. It is interesting to think how things may have played out, had they the chance. But this era’s end would come not with any internal events; instead it would be swept away with the Croatian invasion of Austria in early February 2010.

War with EDEN (February 2010 - November 2010)

The Croatian War

Borojevic von Bonjar had just begun his term as president. With the backing of the KU and NFA, it was a hard fought win, and he sought to embark on a series of initiatives, such as increasing national exports, taking a look at reforming the constitution, and strengthening ties to neighboring allies. But on February 9th 2010, he would be contacted by Croatian diplomat Djani Ujkan Marich with an offer that would dramatically change the course of his presidency.

Croatia had long desired to attack France - but the most attempted path (Slovenia -> Italy) was exceedingly difficult. A less direct path would require passing through Austria, once they reached Austria’s border, then moving west through Switzerland. Both nations would appear easier targets than Italy and Slovenia. Easier still than fighting, was if Austria allowed Croatia to pass through. Thus, Croatia offered that in exchange for Austria retreating battles against them, Croatia promised to return the regions afterwards, and pay gold for damages.

Borojevic, after meeting directly with Djani Ujkan Marich, presented the offer to the cabinet, where it was heatedly debated. As well, Oraizan, the IA’s candidate in the February election, weighed in on the issue. The ÖIP and IA strongly opposed the deal: France was a strong ally of Austria’s, and being complicit in Croatia’s attack would be a betrayal. It was not clear at this time if Croatia would try to pass through without Austria’s permission; even if Austria was unable to stop them, however, it would be important to have tried. Borojevic agreed, and the offer was officially declined.

Croatia had hoped for permission, but made it clear they did not require it: on February 11th war was declared, with the war officially commencing on February 12th, 2010. Diplomat Djani Ujkan Marich presented Croatia’s new offer to Austria: retreat all regions, allowing Croatia through without a fight, or be forced to pay 300 gold for the return of every region taken - if not, Croatia would stay permanently. Even less acceptable than the previous offer, Austria now readied for total war.

Additional experienced players, such as Oraizan and Metallon, were brought into the cabinet by Borojevic. Mutual protection pacts were signed as quickly as possible with Slovenia, Serbia, and Russia. Although Austria had less firepower on the battlefield than Croatia, strategic maneuvers with Slovenia and Hungary helped to block Croatia in place before they were able to advance onto additional Austrian regions.

These maneuvers proved successful, but required more time from the president than in any recent timeframe. These time constraints led Borojevic von Bonjar to resign, making Oraizan - who had more time - the new president, aided by the “war cabinet.” Far from the weak cabinet of the “One Party Era,” this war cabinet made great use of the skills, connections, and experience of players in Austria. Operating more or less through consensus, decisions would need wide support before proceeding. Along with some of the previously mentioned was Fragreg, a newer citizen who had strong ties with Hungary, who provided essential aid to the overall strategy.

With cooperation with the new alliance “Phoenix” (successor to PEACE GC), Croatia would be completely ejected from Austria by February 22nd through successful military operations, even losing its border to Austria in the process.

While the war cabinet made great use of different players skills, and was overall collaborative in the war effort, it proved to struggle in one key area: politics. Although Croatia was repelled for now, it was deemed inevitable that they would try again: who would lead the country in this continued war? While Oraizan was a natural choice to continue, time constraints made it impossible for her to run for the March 2010 race. The ÖIP put forward Rangeley, but strong opposition from members of the IA - in particular Metallon - and segments of the KU and NFA vetoed the idea. In turn, Metallon was proposed by the IA. After the bitter political battles of the last year, the ÖIP was very opposed in turn to this idea.

But the ÖIP found itself in a more isolated position than it had been for some time. The KU and NFA were willing to endorse Metallon, who was strongly supported by Oraizan, leading the ÖIP to reluctantly endorse the idea. Yet another issue arose where time constraints forced Metallon to reconsider his candidacy. Metallon proposed bobbySAURON in his stead - an even less popular choice with the ÖIP, and within the KU as well. But again, with resistance still existing to alternatives, the ÖIP and KU reluctantly supported the choice of the IA.

While initially supportive, the NFA withdrew its support after disputes arose with the candidate over inappropriate behavior. The unity coalition was in utter turmoil - in the meantime, a new political figure - Hedera - made his rise.

While the war cabinet struggled to find a candidate to endorse, Hedera formed the new Austrian Reform Party, a self described pro-Phoenix party which proposed departing from the status quo - fully embracing the alliance and favoring joining. Although he had been in Austria since September 2009, he only recently would raise his profile with a series of well received articles. His message proved popular: very few would have supported joining Phoenix before the war began, but cooperation with them had greatly increased in February. The Socialist Party endorsed him, and the NFA would likewise cast their support towards him.

Hedera and the ARP won the election with 46.81% over bobbySAURON’s 42.55% (88-80). It is possible to see some of this support as a rejection of war cabinet’s preferred candidate, and from seeking a new direction for the country. But while some of this support was surely legitimate, a large portion would quickly be revealed to have been from multis: Hedera was a PTO president and would soon show his true colors.

Quickly stealing the treasury, and retreating the entire country to Poland, Austria was stunned by the rapid turn of events. It seemed inevitable now that Croatia would be able to find its way through Austria, despite the successes in February. But the war cabinet of the previous month would return, with Oraizan nominally leading it again, now in an unofficial “shadow government” capacity. With strategic moves with allies, Poland would be pushed out of Austria, and Croatia’s escape path blocked once more. Hedera would become the first president in Austrian history to be impeached, with a 20-2 vote. Still Croatia was shown to be unable to advance through Austria.

One result of losing all regions to Poland, however briefly, was that all parties were likewise wiped from Austria, meaning they would have to be reformed. In some cases however, it would spell an end to the parties as they had previously existed. The IA would be absorbed within both the re-made KU, led by Borojevic von Bonjar, and remade ÖIP, led now by Rangeley. The NFA would likewise find its end: instead, the Conservative Party of Austria, led by Kaiser Alex, and the Allianz Starkes Osterreich (ASO), led by PrinceOfAustria, would succeed it as two nationalist parties. Adeptus Astartes would also form, led by Fragreg - a conservative leaning party. Meanwhile, the Socialist Party saw most of its leadership leave Austria during this time - a left leaning party would not reform for quite some time.

With the war cabinet once again in official power, the quest to find an acceptable candidate for the presidential race became one of utmost importance: there clearly was a PTO effort underway, and a united front must be put up against it. The ÖIP insisted against a repeat of the previous month: endorsing a candidate who could not hold together a coalition was a recipe for continued failure. They proposed stoneman, who was well known and trusted, having served as Minister of Finance since December.

He would receive the backing of all of the above mentioned parties (KU, ASO, ÖIP, AA, CPA.) In protest, and unwilling to support stoneman, bobbySAURON would form his own party to declare himself candidate again.

Pro Patria Österreich

One other major party would form: Pro Patria Österreich, formed by Djani Ujkan Marich - the Croatian diplomat who had earlier issued threats against Austria. Now having moved to Austria, and presenting himself as apologetic and reformed, he made frequent articles speaking in favor of Austria against “Croatian PTOers.” A real life resident of Austria who was fluent in German, he would succeed in earning a degree of influence, despite some voicing concerns about his history as a Croatian diplomat - who gleefully mocked Austria for rejecting his offer. He would enter the race against stoneman as well, with the backing of his PPÖ.

With the battlelines drawn, the April 2010 presidential race was underway. While stoneman would take an early lead over Djani Ujkan Marich, late votes began pouring in during the night hours for Djani. Taking a 110-93 vote lead, he was in line for the presidency over the combined totals of the unity coalition. However, the late-breaking trend was observed and documented to the admins; after admin review, 40 multi votes would be removed from Djani. stoneman retook the lead and the race would finish 93-70.

Djani insisted that he knew nothing of these votes or where they came from, claiming that someone must have been framing him to hurt his reputation in the country. Djani was never trusted by the ÖIP or AA, even before the election - and regardless of the deleted votes, they pointed to a clear continuation between the votes cast for Hedera in March, and the votes cast for Djani in April. But their view would be a minority one. Djani’s explanation was broadly accepted by many players, significantly, the ASO, most of the KU - Metallon vehemently vouched for Djani’s credibility - and the Conservative Party of Austria (CPA).

Economic Programs

With the election of stoneman, the ÖIP returned to the presidency for the first time since December - but in this time of crisis, he would take a more centrist economic position than was traditionally the ÖIP’s stance (in stoneman's words, "economic pragmatism.") There was a dramatic increase in efforts to help the struggling economy - with the economy being the center-point of stoneman’s agenda. After two months of war, and especially the total wipe in March, there were fewer available jobs, and fewer workers in Austria, leading to a fear that the economy would move in a downward spiral.

Creating an economic council, which saw influential members in Fragreg, Penegrin, and Borojevic von Bonjar, the government worked to purchase more government owned companies which could provide a degree of stability in the very volatile time. As Hedera had stolen all government companies, this meant starting from the ground up. Penegrin would become the Minister of Labor, officially tasked with managing the companies, a position he would hold into future administrations as well.

Congress Falls

If there was to be doubt about the continued existence of a PTO, these disappeared with the Party President and congress races of April 2010. Seizing a minor party in the PP race on April 15th, Gaganic renamed it “Free Austria,” and its numbers grew from Croatian PTOers in the country. And in the following congress race on April 25th, they would seize a near majority of seats on their own - enough to block legislation in congress.

After Minister of Finance Borojevic von Bonjar was unable to pass a donation bill, the PTO proposed their own bill, donating money into their organization - which passed 21-17. Following this was a series of other donations, withdrawing in total around 400 gold (in gold and equivalent currencies.) Even with Hedera’s presidency, the congress remained in Austrian hands; for the first time, congress had fallen to a PTO.

Rise of Djani

stoneman would be unable to run again for the presidency due to time constraints, meaning a new unity candidate would have to be found. And now more than ever, it became clear that the presidency must be won: congress could not impeach a PTO president as it had with Hedera. Gaganic declared his candidacy for president, and seemed poised to make a competitive run after his party took control of congress.

As with two months prior, the ÖIP proposed Rangeley - and as with before, the idea found significant resistance. After weathering the storm of the last presidential race, Djani Ujkan Marich had continued as an active player in Austria, even growing his support. With the May 2010 Presidential race approaching, he was emerging as a consensus candidate, supported by the KU, ASO, and CPA, to run against Gaganic - over the continued objections of the ÖIP and AA. Without proof that he was involved with the PTO, however, their objections were poised to be dismissed, as Austria headed for a race between Djani and Gaganic.

But on May 1st, 2010, proof would be found.

Wars

List of wars that Austria is taking part in or took part in:

• Austria-PEACE Resistance War (March 27th, 2009 - April 12th, 2009)
• World War III (July 13th, 2009 - November 16th, 2009)
• Indonesia-Malaysia War (November 10th, 2009 - present)
• Hungary-Austria War (November 18th, 2009 - November 21st, 2009)
• Spain-France War (December 3rd, 2009 - present)
• Battle of Kyushu (December 7th, 2009 - December 8th, 2009)
• First Croatia-Austria War (February 11th, 2010 - February 23rd, 2010)
• Second Croatia-Austria War (March 13th, 2010 - April 3rd, 2010)
• Second Japan-South Korea War (May 6th, 2010 - May 25th, 2010)
• Poland-Austria War (May 20th, 2010 - May 31st 2010)