The Constitutional Party (german: Verfassungspartei), also known as the German-Liberal Party (german: Deutschliberale Partei) was the main representative of

liberalism Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality and equality before the law."political rationalism, hostility to autocracy, cultural distaste for c ...

and

national liberalism National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal policies and issues with elements of nationalism. Historically, national liberalism has also been used in the same meaning as conservative liberalism (right-liberalism). A seri ...

in the German-speaking parts of the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

during the 1860s and 70s. It was a party of the German-speaking

bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...

, had

anti-clerical Anti-clericalism is opposition to religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historical anti-clericalism has mainly been opposed to the influence of Roman Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secularism, which seeks to ...

positions and sought to defend the privileges of German-speakers vis-à-vis the rising national movements of the Slavic minorities in the Habsburg monarchy. It supported the

Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (german: Ausgleich, hu, Kiegyezés) established the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary. The Compromise only partially re-established the former pre-1848 sovereignty and status of the Kingdom of Hungary ...

, transforming the Austrian Empire into the Austro-Hungarian

Dual monarchy Dual monarchy occurs when two separate kingdoms are ruled by the same monarch, follow the same foreign policy, exist in a customs union with each other, and have a combined military but are otherwise self-governing. The term is typically used ...

and the 1867

December Constitution The December Constitution (German: ''Dezemberverfassung'') is a set of six acts that served as the constitution of the Cisleithanian half of Austria-Hungary. The acts were proclaimed by Emperor Franz Joseph on 21 December 1867 and functioned as th ...

, which is why it received its name. Afterwards it became the strongest political group in the Imperial Council (the parliament of the ''Cis-Leithanian'', i.e. Austrian-dominated, part of the empire) until 1879. It was weakened after the financial crisis of 1873, which added to the rise of the more radical German nationalist movement. The Constitutional Party merged with the Progressive Club to form the " United Left" in 1881, which fell apart again in 1885 splitting into the German-Austrian Club and the

German Club German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

. Former members of the Constitutional Party were later referred to as "Old Liberals" ''(Altliberale)''.

Notes and references

* {{Authority control Political parties established in 1861 Political parties in Austria-Hungary Defunct political parties in Austria Political history of Austria Defunct liberal political parties Liberal parties in Austria Political parties disestablished in 1881

See also

Notes and references