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search  Proporz is a long standing doctrine within the politics
of the second Austrian republic. However, recent developments,
both internal and external, have arguably weakened the influence
of the Proporz system in Austrian politics.  The underlying
principle[edit]  Under the Proporz system, the posts of Cabinet
Ministers are filled by party members as closely as possible in
proportion to the votes won by their respective parties in the
general elections. The word 'Proporz' is derived from the
meaning of proportionality. Furthermore, the particular
portfolios are selected by each party on the basis of its
constituency or any perceived ideological mandate to them.
Thus, for example, the portfolio of Minister for Labour and
Social Relations was nearly always held by a member of the
Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), while the conservative
Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), with traditionally strong support
from farmers, took the Ministry which con