Austrian legislative election, 2013

Last updated
Austrian legislative election, 2013
Flag of Austria.svg
  2008 29 September 2013 2017  

All 183 seats in the National Council
92 seats needed for a majority
Turnout 4,782,410 (74.91%) [1]

 First partySecond partyThird party
  Werner Faymann (cropped).jpg Michael Spindelegger and Zvi Heifetz (11320821013) (cropped).jpg HEINZ CHRISTIAN STRACHE.jpg
Leader Werner Faymann Michael Spindelegger Heinz-Christian Strache
Party SPÖ ÖVP FPÖ
Leader since200820112005
Last election57 seats, 29.26%51 seats, 25.98%34 seats, 17.54%
Seats won524740
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 4Increase2.svg 6
Popular vote1,258,6051,125,876962,313
Percentage26.82%23.99%20.51%
SwingDecrease2.svg2.44%Decrease2.svg1.99%Increase2.svg2.97%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Eva Glawischnig.jpeg Frank Stronach (2013) (cropped).jpg Mlinar, Strolz and Meinl-Reisinger at the NEOS FEST Vienna 2013-05 (cropped).jpg
Leader Eva Glawischnig Frank Stronach Matthias Strolz
Party Greens Stronach NEOS
Leader since200820122012
Last election20 seats, 10.43%Did not contestDid not contest
Seats won24119
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 4Increase2.svg 11Increase2.svg 9
Popular vote582,657268,679232,946
Percentage12.42%5.73%4.96%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.99%Increase2.svg5.73%Increase2.svg4.96%

 Seventh party
  Bucher-press-conference-22-02-11 (cropped).jpg
Leader Josef Bucher
Party BZÖ
Leader since2009
Last election21 seats, 10.7%
Seats won0
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 21
Popular vote165,746
Percentage3.53%
SwingDecrease2.svg7.17%

Austrian Legislative Election 2013 - Largest Party By State and District.png
Largest party by state (left) and district (right)

Chancellor before election

Werner Faymann
SPÖ

Elected Chancellor

Werner Faymann
SPÖ

Legislative elections were held in Austria on 29 September 2013. [2]

Austria Federal republic in Central Europe

Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in Central Europe comprising 9 federated states. Its capital, largest city and one of nine states is Vienna. Austria has an area of 83,879 km2 (32,386 sq mi), a population of nearly 9 million people and a nominal GDP of $477 billion. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The terrain is highly mountainous, lying within the Alps; only 32% of the country is below 500 m (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,798 m (12,461 ft). The majority of the population speaks local Bavarian dialects as their native language, and German in its standard form is the country's official language. Other regional languages are Hungarian, Burgenland Croatian, and Slovene.

Contents

For this election, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) had proposed a reduction in the number of MPs from 183 to 165 as part of austerity measures, but despite overwhelming support from the Austrian populace, [3] the proposals failed to pass in parliament. [4]

Social Democratic Party of Austria one of the oldest political parties in Austria

The Social Democratic Party of Austria is a social-democratic political party in Austria and alongside with the People's Party one of the country's two traditional major parties.

Austrian Peoples Party conservative political party in Austria

The Austrian People's Party is a Christian-democratic and conservative political party in Austria. A successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was founded immediately following the reestablishment of the Republic of Austria in 1945 and since then has been one of the two largest Austrian political parties with the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ). In federal governance, the ÖVP has spent most of the postwar era in a grand coalition with the SPÖ. Most recently, it has been junior partner in a coalition government with the SPÖ since 2007. However, the ÖVP won the 2017 election, having the greatest number of seats and formed a coalition with the national-conservative Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). Its chairman Sebastian Kurz is the youngest Chancellor in Austrian history.

Overview

The government is a grand coalition between Austria's two largest parties, the SPÖ and ÖVP, who rule with the SPÖ's Werner Faymann as Chancellor. Support for both governing parties has fallen marginally since the 2008 election. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) and Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) made significant gains in the previous election, but while the FPÖ gained support after the 2008 election, the BZÖ shrank after the death of its founder Jörg Haider and taking a turn toward liberalism. Additionally, nine of the BZÖ's 21 elected members to the National Council changed their party affiliation during the term: five members joined the Team Stronach, while four joined the FPÖ. Team Stronach, funded by Austrian-Canadian businessman Frank Stronach, has emerged as an anti-euro alternative and eventually started to hurt the FPÖ's standing in the polls. The Greens have solidified their position as the fourth-largest party in opinion polls.[ citation needed ]

A grand coalition is an arrangement in a multi-party parliamentary system in which the two largest political parties of opposing political ideologies unite in a coalition government. The term is most commonly used in countries where there are two dominant parties with different ideological orientations, and a number of smaller parties that have passed the election threshold to secure representation in the parliament. The two large parties will each try to secure enough seats in any election to have a majority government alone, and if this fails each will attempt to form a coalition with smaller parties that have a similar ideological orientation. Because the two large parties will tend to differ on major ideological issues, and portray themselves as rivals, or even sometimes enemies, they will usually find it more difficult to agree on a common direction for a combined government with each other than with smaller parties.

Werner Faymann Austrian politician who was Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria

Werner Faymann is a former Austrian politician who was Chancellor of Austria and chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) from 2008 to 2016. On 9 May 2016, Faymann resigned from both positions amid widening criticism within his party.

Chancellor of Austria Austrian politician

The Chancellor of Austria is the head of government of the Austrian Republic. The chancellor chairs and leads the government, which is composed of him, the vice-chancellor and the ministers. Together with the president, who is head of state, the government forms the country's executive leadership.

Qualified parties and lists

Parties and lists represented in the National Council

Freedom Party of Austria political party in Austria

The Freedom Party of Austria is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Austria. The party, led by Heinz-Christian Strache, is a member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group in the European Parliament, as well as of the Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedom.

Alliance for the Future of Austria political party

The Alliance for the Future of Austria is a right-wing populist and national conservative political party in Austria.

The Greens – The Green Alternative Green Party of Austria

The Greens – The Green Alternative is a political party in Austria.

Parties and lists that contested the election in all states [5]

Communist Party of Austria communist political party based in Austria

The Communist Party of Austria is a communist party in Austria. Established in 1918 as the Communist Party of German-Austria (KPDÖ), it is one of the world's oldest Communist parties. The KPÖ was banned between 1933 and 1945 under both the Austrofascist regime and the Nazi German control of Austria after the 1938 Anschluss. It played an important role in the Austrian resistance against the Nazis.

Pirate Party of Austria political party in Austria

The Pirate Party of Austria is a political party in Austria and part of the global Pirate Party movement which fights for freedom of information and the protection of privacy.

Other parties and lists that contested the election only in the following states

Christian Party of Austria political party

The Christian Party of Austria is a minor political party in Austria, founded on October 15, 2005.

Socialist Left Party (Austria) Austrian political party

The Socialist Left Party is a Trotskyist political party in Austria. It is a member of the Committee for a Workers' International. The party originated in the 1980s, when the forerunner "Sozialistische Offensive Vorwärts" emerged from the far-left wing of the Socialist Youth of Austria. It later transformed itself during the protests against the participation of the FPÖ in the Austrian government in 2000 into the current SLP, forming itself as a party at a conference on January 30, 2000. In 2002, it ran in federal elections for the Nationalrat; however, it was unable to win a seat.

EU Exit Party

The EU Exit Party for Austria is a political party in Austria founded on 15 September 2011. It contested the 2013 legislative election, but only appeared on the ballot in Vorarlberg. It failed to pass the electoral threshold of 4%. Its party programme is oriented on syncretic politics and centered mainly on the demand to withdraw from the European Union and the establishment of direct democracy. For the EU election 2014, together with the Neutral Free Austria Federation which has very similar aims, the party has formed an electoral platform called EU-STOP. In the Viennese elections 2015, the NFAF formed another electoral alliance with the EU Exit Party. In the legislative election 2017 the EU Exit Party participates in the Vienna state.

Campaign

Issues included corruption scandals across the main parties[ which? ] and Austria's relative financial stability facing a probable crisis. [6]

Opinion polling

Recent opinion polls

Agency/SourceDate SPÖ ÖVP FPÖ Greens Stronach BZÖ NEOS Pirates KPÖ Others
Gallup/Neos.eu 2013-09-2327%23%21%14%6%3%4%1%1%-
OGM/Kurier 2013-09-2127%22%21%14%6%4%4%1%1%-
Market/Der Standard 2013-09-2026%23%19%15%7%4%3%1%1%1%
Gallup/Österreich 2013-09-2027%23%20%14%7%2.5%3.5%1%1%1%
Karmasin/Heute 2013-09-2027%23%21%14%7%2%3%1.5%1.5%-
Hajek/ATV 2013-09-1927%23%20%15%7%3%3%1%1%1%
Meinunungsraum/Neos.eu 2013-09-1928%24%19%15%7%2%4%--1%
Market/Standard 2013-09-1526%22%20%15%9%3%2%1%1%1%
Spectra/Oberösterreichische Nachrichten 2013-09-1426%23%20%13%9%4%1.5%--3.5%
Karmasin/Profil 2013-09-1428%25%20%15%6%2%3%--1%
Gallup/Österreich 2013-09-1328%25%20%15%7%1%3%1%--
Gallup/Österreich 2013-09-0628%24%19%15%8%2%2%1%1%-
OGM/Kurier 2013-08-3127%24%20%15%7%3%2%1%-1%
Karmasin/Profil 2013-08-3128%24%20%15%7%2%1%--3%
Market/Standard 2013-08-3026%22%19%16%9%3%2%1%1%1%
Gallup/Österreich 2013-08-3028%23%19%15%9%2%2%1%1%-
Meinungsraum/NEWS 2013-08-2927%24%19%14%8%2%3%2%-1%
Spectra/Vorarlberger Nachrichten 2013-08-2427%25%19%14%7%3%---5%
Gallup/Österreich 2013-08-2328%24%18%15%9%2%2%1%1%-
Karmasin/Heute 2013-08-2328%25%20%15%7%1%2%1%1%-
Market/Standard 2013-08-1526%24%18%15%9%3%2%1%1%1%
IMAS/Kronen Zeitung 2013-08-1027%25%20%13%9%3%---3%
Karmasin/Profil 2013-08-1028%25%18%16%7%3%---3%
Gallup/Österreich 2013-08-0928%25%17%16%8%2%2%1%1%-
Meinungsraum/Neos.eu 2013-08-0826%24%20%13%9%2%3%2%1%-

Older opinion polls

Results

Map showing the results of the election in the state level by the party voted most. 2013 Austrian Legislative Elections Map in English.png
Map showing the results of the election in the state level by the party voted most.
NRWahl 2013.svg
PartyVotes+/−%+/−Seats+/−
Social Democratic Party of Austria 1,258,605−171,60126.82−2.4452−5
Austrian People's Party 1,125,876−143,78023.99−1.9947−4
Freedom Party of Austria 962,313+105,28420.51+2.9740+6
The Greens – The Green Alternative 582,657+72,72112.42+1.9924+4
Team Stronach 268,679New5.73New11New
NEOS – The New Austria 232,946New4.96New9New
Alliance for the Future of Austria 165,746–357,1873.53–7.170–21
Communist Party of Austria 48,175+10,8131.03+0.2700
Pirate Party of Austria 36,265New0.77New0New
Christian Party of Austria 6,647–24,4330.14–0.5000
The Change3,051New0.07New0New
Socialist Left Party 947New0.02New0New
EU Exit Party 510New0.01New0New
Men's Party490New0.01New0New
Invalid/blank votes89,503–14,140
Total4,782,410–208,542100.01830
Registered voters/turnout6,384,308+51,19974.91–3.90
Source: Austrian Interior Ministry
Popular vote
SPÖ
26.82%
ÖVP
23.99%
FPÖ
20.51%
GRÜNE
12.42%
STRONACH
5.73%
NEOS
4.96%
BZÖ
3.53%
KPÖ
1.03%
PPÖ
0.77%
Other
0.25%
Parliamentary seats
SPÖ
28.42%
ÖVP
25.68%
FPÖ
21.86%
GRÜNE
13.11%
STRONACH
6.01%
NEOS
4.92%

Results by state

State results in % SPÖ ÖVP FPÖ Greens TS NEOS BZÖ KPÖ others
Flag of Burgenland.svg  Burgenland 37.326.817.46.85.92.82.00.50.7
Flag of Karnten.svg  Carinthia 32.415.217.911.86.93.710.80.60.7
Flag of Niederosterreich.svg  Lower Austria 27.630.618.89.64.74.52.70.80.7
Flag of Oberosterreich.svg  Upper Austria 27.225.421.412.24.83.43.50.71.4
Flag of Salzburg.svg  Salzburg 23.026.721.214.85.24.63.20.60.7
Flag of Steiermark.svg  Styria 23.820.924.010.610.03.93.91.81.1
Flag of Tirol.svg  Tyrol 18.332.319.415.25.64.93.00.70.7
Flag of Vorarlberg.svg  Vorarlberg 13.126.320.217.05.313.12.40.52.0
Flag of Wien.svg  Vienna 31.614.520.616.43.97.62.41.71.3
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 26.824.020.512.45.75.03.51.01.0
Source: Nationalratswahl 2013, Austrian Ministry of the Interior

The losses for the government parties (both the SPÖ and the ÖVP had the worst election result in history) resulted in strong gains for the far right, the election was seen as strong for the far-right and in support of Eurosceptics.

Especially in Carinthia, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) benefited most from the BZÖ's weakness since Jörg Haider's death in autumn 2008: the FPÖ's share of the vote rose from 7.6% to 17.9%, and they became the second strongest party in the state. In contrast, the state's former leading party BZÖ came fifth, with their share falling from 38.5% to 10.8%, while the SPÖ came first in Carinthia with 32.4%.

However, in Styria the FPÖ came first with 24.0%; the SPÖ were second with 23.8%.

In the other states no major changes of the leading party occurred.

Government formation

The "grand coalition" of SPÖ and ÖVP retained their majority. [7] While the SPÖ were keen to renew the coalition, the ÖVP also considered the possibility of a coalition with the FPÖ and another smaller party. [8] On October 14, the SPÖ and the ÖVP agreed to start coalition talks with each other, [9] and on December 16, the second Faymann cabinet was formed by the SPÖ and the ÖVP.

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "Nationalratswahl 2013 - Endgültiges Gesamtergebnis". Website of the Austrian Ministry of the Interior (in German). Bundesministerium für Inneres. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. Regierung legt sich fest: Wahl am 29. September - Die Presse, 21 February 2013
  3. Sparpaket: Prammer sagt Verkleinerung des Nationalrats ab - Der Standard, 19 November 2012
  4. Regierungsspitze hofft weiter auf NR-Verkleinerung - Der Standard, 20 November 2012
  5. Nationalratswahl 2013 - Abgeschlossene und veröffentlichte Landeswahlvorschläge - bmi.gv.at, 8 August 2013
  6. Austrians voting general elections Al Jazeera 29 September 2013
  7. Governing coalition slips election Al Jazeera 29 September 2013
  8. Austria coalition vote Yahoo!
  9. Austria's biggest parties agree coalition talks Reuters, Oct. 14