The Alliance for the Future of Austria (German: Bündnis Zukunft Österreich), abbreviated to BZÖ, is a right-wing liberal political party in Austria which was led Jörg Haider until his death on October 11, 2008. It was founded by Haider and other members of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) on April 3, 2005. After Haider's death, the party was led by a temporary leadership team. On 26 April 2009, a party congress in Linz elected Josef Bucher as the new leader.
Since the BZÖ performed poorly in the federal elections it participated in shortly after its formation, many commentators believed that it would disappear after the 2006 general election. However, the party obtained 4.1% of the vote and 7 seats in the National Council in 2006. The party was led by Peter Westenthaler from June 2006 until his removal as Leader in August 2008 due to his conviction for perjury. Haider formally re-assumed the party chairmanship on August 30, 2008, and was the party's candidate for Chancellor of Austria in snap general elections that took place on September 28, 2008. In those elections, the BZÖ scored a major victory taking 522,933 votes nationally translating into 10.70% of the total national vote. The party increased its representation from 7 to 21 seats in the National Council.
The party's main ideas can be found in the reasons for the Revolution of 1848 "the liberation" as the willingness to fight for new freedom rights, which ultimately lead the French people and other European countries to the winning of new freedom values (e.g. freedom of press, freedom of opinion, freedom of assembly) and the end of absolutism.
Through its beginning the party's lifeline (its partys leader) and programm was changing very often, till Josef Bucher became the party leader. This brought the first installation of the "Bündnisprogramm" in Vienna which was accepted in open ballot vote by all of the 600 present members(even simple party members were allowed to vote and accepted it) and a political orientation described now as "rechtsliberal" (right-wing liberal), the party foremost representing the middle classes.
To show up the party's freshness its logo was changed on new years eve meeting on 30.January 2011 in Carinthia and it's first birthday of the hosts party BZÖ Kärnten(the Carinthian BZÖ had to be refounded exactly that day one year ago) to a simple orange rectangle with the party shortcut inside (a smart marketing strategy because even in ads simple logos are easier to remember) and started the new campaign "Genug gezahlt!"(paid enough!) meaning the taxpayers which are fed up with paying new taxes (like the million for the financial safety net for the greek) have already paid enough in Austria!
