Austria-Election 2024: FPÖ wins in front of the ÖVP and SPÖ

Austria-Election 2024: FPÖ wins in front of the ÖVP and SPÖ

The results of the National Council election in Austria on September 29, 2024 show clear preferences of voters that have been indicated in the surveys for weeks. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) won the election with 29.1 percent of the vote, followed by the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) with 26.2 percent. The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) receives 20.4 percent, while the NEOS 8.8 percent and the Greens were able to achieve 8.6 percent. Smaller parties such as the KPÖ and the beer party (2.9 percent or 2.1 percent) also have a share in the votes, but it remains to be seen whether they will move into parliament.

The predictions of the last surveys showed a clear trend in favor of the FPÖ, which was able to assert itself as the strongest force. There were signs of a shift in the votes in the weeks before the election when the FPÖ was influenced by various factors, including the current political and social conditions in the country. So the ÖVP has also been able to catch up a little in the past few days, although in the end it only took second place. The SPÖ, which was traditionally strong, also leveled off in third place.

election campaign and the course of the survey

The days before the election were shaped by intensive discussions, which were also influenced by the flood disaster in Austria. These events led to a rethink within the voter base and could question some of the foreseeable election results. In the last surveys it became clear that the distance between the parties was not as large as it was suspected some time before. The FPÖ was in pole position, but the other parties have compared themselves more and more.

also important is the role that smaller parties such as the beer party and the KPÖ could play in the election process. Led by Dominik Wlazny, better known as Marco Pogo, the beer party could additionally enrich the political landscape, but was not yet certain in the National Council in the last surveys. The KPÖ has recently received buoyancy through its success at the municipal level, but has to overcome the 4 percent hurdle at the federal level.

coalition options

One of the most urgent questions that arises of the election is the perspective for government formation. Whether FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl will become Chancellor depends partly on the possibilities of a coalition. According to its own statements, the ÖVP has excluded cooperation with Kickl itself, which could significantly influence the dynamics of the possible government formation. Because the Federal President has to award the freedom of not only the victorious, but alternatively also the runner-up, but also to the runner-up, in this case the ÖVP chairman Karl Nehammer.

Overall, the candidates went into the choice with different expectations. The vote has drawn a clear picture of the political situation in Austria and leaves space for numerous speculations about future political constellations. In a time of change, it is of central importance how these results will affect the political relationship in the Alpine Republic and whether the chosen parties are able to form stable and functioning coalitions.

These developments are not only crucial for the parties involved, but also shape the image of Austrian politics in the coming years.