UN Forum on Minority Issues Geneva, 12 – 13 November 2009 Statement by Dr. Christa Achleitner, Austrian Federal Chancellery, Department of Minority Issues V. National practices and real experiences: existing mechanisms providing for the political participation of minorities Thank you, Madam President, I would like to start with an example: Austria’s largest national minority group - the Burgenland Croats - has not had its own political minority party for 90 years. The Burgenland Croats, today a totally integrated part of civil society, have always preferred to integrate into the existing political parties. As all political parties need voters, the consequence was and is a positive competition between all political parties to have minority issues on their agenda. The effect could make this minority proud: In the federal government, two ministers and one state secretary are declared members of the mentioned national minority. Also some parliament members are Burgenland Croats. At the provincial level, some important positions are also held by declared members of the national minority, inter alia the current president of the provincial parliament, and the current head of the office of the governor of the federal province Burgenland. Indeed, although the Burgenland Croats do not have their own political party and guaranteed seats in the legislative bodies, this minority is, in comparison to its size, quite overrepresented. This example demonstrates two challenges for political parties: