Karl Lueger — the Leader of the Christian Social Movement in Austria (Portrait of a Politician)

The adoption of the Austro-Hungarian Agreement and the liberal Constitution in 1867 marked an important milestone in the history of Austria-Hungary. The active process of forming political parties has begun. The expansion of the right to vote has brought broad segments of the population into the political arena. From now on, only politicians who realized the importance of the social issue could receive mass support. By the end of the 19th century, two main mass parties had formed in Austria — the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Social Party (CSP). Relying on the ideas of social Christianity, the CSP won the sympathy of the majority of the petty-bourgeois population, which made up the main body of voters. This ensured that the party won the elections. The new age has required other leaders capable of leading the masses. Such a politician became Lueger, a bright speaker who perfectly mastered the techniques of social demagogy. He led the party and was mayor of Vienna for 13 years. In this position, Lueger conducted a broad modernization program aimed at improving the situation of the poor. This allowed him to win the love of the Viennese. The ambiguity of Lueger's figure, who often referred to the use of the "enemy image" and anti-Semitism in his speeches, still causes controversy in society. Nowadays, when right-wing populism in Europe is gaining strength again, and methods of manipulating mass consciousness are becoming more sophisticated, the example of Lueger may be of interest to researchers.