Austria under National Socialism 400,000 Jews – Simple way out; vote National Socialist". The Christian Social Party had ruled from 1932 and Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß had led them from 1932. The Social Democrats were no longer their only threat. The previous chancellor and priest Ignaz Seipel had worked towards an authoritarian state. Seipel based this on the Papal Encyclicals, Rerum novarum (1891) and Quadragesimo anno (1931). Abolition of the parliamentary system was necessary for this. A crisis in the Austrian parliament on the May 4, 1933 gave Dollfuß the opportunity he wanted. Later in May 1933 the Christian Social Union was converted to the
Chancellor of Austria the President's consent to implement greater decisions. Furthermore neither the Ministers nor the Vice-Chancellor report to the Chancellor, or can even be dismissed by him. In legislature the Chancellor's actual power depends on the size of his affiliated parliamentary group. In case of a coalition government, the Chancellor commonly is the leader of the party most represented in the National Council, with the leader of the party able to grant a majority, usually serving as the Vice-Chancellor. In a majority government with only one ruling party, the Chancellor could be seen as the nation's most powerful person. The first Austrian