Vienna- ­ Austria's conservative People's Party called for early parliamentary elections Monday, as their social democratic coalition partner was involved in a leadership crisis and recently changed its policy on the European Union, Austrian news agency APA reported.

I cannot allow the crisis of the Social Democratic Party to become a crisis for Austria," Vice Chancellor Wilhelm Molterer, the leader of the People's Party, said.

In mid-June, Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer effectively stepped down as head of the Social Democratic Party amid low approval ratings. He appointed Transport Minister Werner Faymann as interim party chief until his formal election in autumn.

Gusenbauer and Faymann enraged their junior coalition partner when they announced their intention to hold popular votes on future EU treaties in a letter to Austria's biggest newspaper without informing the conservatives.

Molterer said the social democrats had left the common ground of their coalition agreement and called for a European perspective for our country."

The social democrats are currently discussing Molterer's announcement in a meeting of party leaders.

Molterer called for the elections to be held by September. (dpa)