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| 1967, March |
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| Visit of Chancellor Klaus to Moscow. The Soviet government refused to abandon its opposition to Austrian membership in the Common Market but signed a cultural agreement with Austria. During the year, the chancellor visited a number of Balkan countries and established better relations, even with Hungary. | 1 |
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| 1968, Nov. 13 |
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| A constitutional amendment reduced the voting age from 21 to 19. | 2 |
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| 1969, Nov |
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| The South Tyrol People's Party accepted the Italian proposals for autonomy of the province of Bolzano, from then on to be known as South Tyrol. Official approval was given to this settlement by the Italian government (Dec.) and the Austrian government (Dec. 16). | 3 |
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| 1970, March 1 |
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| Victory of the Socialist Party in the national elections. Bruno Kreisky replaced Klaus as chancellor and restored the traditional coalition between the Socialist and People's Parties. | 4 |
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| 1970–1983 |
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| Socialist rule. Bruno Kreisky, chairman of the Socialist Party, was chancellor. After winning an overall majority in general elections on Oct. 10, 1971, the Socialist Party became the dominant party after a long rivalry with the conservative People's Party. The Kreisky government adopted pragmatic policies and emphasized the creation of a welfare state and the continuation of neutrality in international affairs. In April 1983 Kreisky announced his resignation from the post of federal chancellor after the Socialist Party lost its absolute majority in general elections. | 5 |
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| 1970, Nov.–1971, July |
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| The National Assembly (Nationalrat) approved a bill reducing compulsory military service from nine to six months. | 6 |
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| 1978, Nov. 5 |
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| Austrians participating in the first national referendum since 1938 voted against the commissioning of a nuclear reactor at Zwentendorf. | 7 |
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| 1983–86 |
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| Small Coalition: the Socialist Party and the Freedom Party formed a coalition under the chancellorship of Alfred Sinowatz of the Socialist Party after the 1983 elections. In June 1986, Franz Vranitzky was nominated chancellor. On Jan. 14, 1987, he formed a coalition of the Socialist Party and the People's Party, and thus began the Grand Coalition of 1987–93. Vranitzky emphasized modernization of the economy, democratization, and improvement of the environment as key issues in government programs. In July 1987, the Parliament adopted a privatization bill as part of a long-term plan to rescue the heavily indebted state sector. | 8 |
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| 1983, May |
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| Environmental policies and the Greens: the government set up an “environmental management and protection fund”; programs on such issues as purifying the country's rivers, reducing acid rain's effects, and using lead-free petrol were announced thereafter. The Greens (the United Green Party of Austria, which contested the 1983 general elections, and Green Alternative) made their way into the Parliament in the 1986 elections, when they came together under the banner of Green Alternative. Green Alternative became their official party name in February 1987. The alliance broke down on Dec. 1, 1987, and the United Green left. | 9 |
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| 1986 |
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| The Waldheim affair: Kurt Waldheim was elected (July 8) to a six-year term as president despite the controversy over his wartime activities and his alleged involvement in war crimes in and outside of Austria. Western countries and Israel continued condemning him throughout his presidency. | 10 |
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| 1988–93 |
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| Immigration issues: the opening of Eastern European borders led to a massive influx of those seeking work and political asylum. To slow down the flow, the Austrian government imposed visa requirements in March 1990 on Romanians, Bulgarians, and Turks. | 11 |
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| 1989, July 17 |
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| Austria applied for EC membership. (Membership would be approved, after detailed negotiations, in 1994). | 12 |
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