Unlike the FPÖ, the BZÖ is notable for the reintroduction of tuition fees, abandoning conscription and the adoption of a system of Common Security and Defence Policy in the European Union.

The BZÖ was founded as the result of considerable disagreements within the Freedom Party between Jörg Haider, the Freedom Party's chair person Ursula Haubner and Vice Chancellor Hubert Gorbach on the one side and the circle around Heinz-Christian Strache, Andreas Mölzer, and Ewald Stadler on the other.

In the 23 October elections in Vienna, it was led by former Lower Austrian state government member Hans Jörg Schimanek.

However, it received only 1.2% of votes, while the FPÖ, led by national party chairman Heinz-Christian Strache, surprised pollsters with a share of 14.9%.

[18][21][22] On 2 May 2010, the Alliance for the Future of Austria held a convention in Vienna, where their first Bündnisprogramm was designed and agreed upon by open ballot in unanimity.

At the October 2010 Vienna state elections, the Alliance for the Future of Austria had nominated Walter Sonnleitner as leading candidate to check the new right-wing liberal course in action and reached 1,33% of the Viennese voters.

Bucher and Grosz later confirmed that they had agreed to einen "bürgerlichen Kurs rechts der Mitte" (a "middle class course right of the centre") and that both fully supported this course.

[26] After the general elections of 29 September 2013 with Josef Bucher as the party's candidate for Chancellor of Austria the support for the BZÖ dropped to 164,599 votes.

[28] Following the new leadership, two former party members Stefan Petzner and Ewald Stadler were expelled from the BZÖ by Gerald Grosz.

Haider-Quercia stepped back from her candidacy and in consequence MEP Werthmann became top candidate for the independent "List Mag.

[18] The BZÖ describes itself as "ideologiefrei, aber zukunftsorientiert und wertebewusst" (free from ideology, but forward-looking and conscious of traditional values).

This brought the first installation of the "Bündnisprogramm" in Vienna which was accepted in open ballot vote by 600 attending members, and a political orientation described now as "rechtsliberal" (right-wing liberal).

The BZÖ wants to especially focus on the Mittelstand, civil and political rights, the stop of compulsory membership in the state and personal freedom.

[40] The party advocates 'radical clearing' of bureaucracy and Bucher had proposed a 44% flat tax (including social security contribution) on earnings above €14,235.28 with a further allowance of €9,000 for each child.

[44] Unlike the ÖVP and FPÖ the BZÖ supports in 2010 the abolition of conscription and the creation of a Volunteer military consisting of so-called "Berufssoldaten" and a strong Militia component, according to vice-chairman Herbert Scheibner, former Defence minister.

There are also major differences of opinion between FPÖ and BZÖ about the future of the Federal Council, the upper house of the Austrian Parliament.

While the FPÖ would like to enhance it to a real "Länderkammer", the BZÖ calls for political reforms to abolish the council and to replace its competences with the Landeshauptleutekonferenz.

The idea behind this is "to end the blocking politics by the provinces" and furthermore he states' "governors and a small number of councillors should represent their home regions interests after such a reform".

Hubert Gorbach, the Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Infrastructure was the parliamentary leader, with Heike Trammer and Karin Gastinger as his deputies.

[citation needed] Uwe Scheuch, a member of the National Council and former General Secretary of the Freedom Party, is the Alliance's spokesman.

[citation needed] Other prominent members are: Jörg Haider remained leader or "Bündnisobmann" of the BZÖ until his death in October 2008.