ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights specific projects as manifestations or disputes involving hegemonic forces and describes the role public green space plays in the current coalition's programme and contextualises it with theoretical considerations regarding civil society in urban development. The projects aiming at strengthening Vienna's position in the competition among cities, such as the EXPO, highlighted the contradictory planning approaches of the Social Democrats and the Greens. While the Social Democrats continued to focus on large-scale projects, the then oppositional Greens targeted decentralized, community-based, small-scale undertakings. The political and economic stability contributes to a comparatively late manifestation of international trends in Vienna, such as governance changes, a neoliberal orientation of the local state and global competitiveness. Since 2010, Vienna has been governed by a coalition of Social Democrats and Greens – parties with contradicting approaches to city planning until now. The planning department is headed by Greens. The department for the environment, which administrates urban green spaces, is led by Social-Democratic councillor.
