The survival of Austria’s ruling coalition was threatened this week by an internal dispute over the 1996 budget

Date: 12/10/1995

The row, which revolved around cutting 720 million ecu from the deficit, pitted the Social Democrats of Chancellor Franz Vranitsky against the Conservative People's Party (ÖVP) led by Wolfgang Schüssel. Vranitsky's wish to cut farm subsidies and defence spending further riled the ÖVP and he was forced to cancel a visit to the Frankfurt book fair.