Editing Politics of Austria

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox political system
| name                    = Political System of Austria 
| native_name             = ''Politisches System Österreichs''
| image                   = Austria Bundesadler.svg
| image_size              = 130
| caption                 = [[Coat of arms of Austria]]
| government              = [[Federalism|Federal]] [[Semi-presidential]] [[republic]]
| constitution            = [[Constitution of Austria]] 
| website                 =  
| legislature             = [[Austrian Parliament|Parliament]]
| legislature_type        = [[Bicameral]] 
| legislature_place       = [[Austrian Parliament Building|Parliament Building]] (normally) <br /> [[Hofburg]] (provisionally)
| upperhouse              = [[Federal Council (Austria)|Federal Council]]
| upperhouse_speaker      = Robert Seeber
| upperhouse_speaker_title = [[List of Presidents of the Federal Council of Austria|President of the Federal Council]]
| upperhouse_appointer    = Indirect elections
| lowerhouse              = [[National Council (Austria)|National Council]]
| lowerhouse_speaker      = [[Walter Rosenkranz]]
| lowerhouse_speaker_title = [[President of the National Council (Austria)|President of the National Council]]
| lowerhouse_appointer    = Popular vote
| title_hos               = [[President of Austria|President]] 
| current_hos             = [[Alexander van der Bellen]]
| appointer_hos           = Direct popular vote
| title_hog               = [[Chancellor of Austria|Chancellor]] 
| current_hog             = [[Christian Stocker]]
| appointer_hog           = President
| cabinet                 = [[Cabinet of Austria]] 
| current_cabinet         = [[Stocker government]]
| cabinet_leader          = Chancellor
| cabinet_deputyleader    = [[Vice Chancellor of Austria|Vice Chancellor]]
| cabinet_appointer       = President
| cabinet_hq              = [[Federal Chancellery (Austria)|Chancellery building]] 
| cabinet_ministries      = 14
| judiciary               = [[Judiciary of Austria]] 
| court                   = [[Constitutional Court (Austria)|Constitutional Court]]
| chief_judge             = [[Christoph Grabenwarter]]
| court_seat              = Seat of the Constitutional Court
| court1                  = [[Supreme Court of Justice (Austria)|Supreme Court of Justice]]
| chief_judge1            = [[Elisabeth Lovrek]] 
| court_seat1             = [[Palace of Justice, Vienna|Palace of Justice]]
| court2                  = [[Supreme Administrative Court (Austria)|Supreme Administrative Court]]
| chief_judge2            = Rudolf Thienel 
| court_seat2             = Seat of the Supreme Administrative Court
}}
{{Politics of Austria}}

'''Politics in Austria''' reflects the dynamics of competition among multiple political parties, which led to the formation of a [[Second Kurz government|Conservative-Green coalition government]] for the first time in January 2020, following the snap [[2019 Austrian legislative election|elections of 29 September 2019]], and the election of a former Green Party leader to the presidency in 2016.

Austrian politics takes place within the constitutional framework of a [[Federation|federal]] [[semi-presidential]] [[republic]], with a [[President of Austria|President]] (''Bundespräsident'') serving as [[head of state]] and a [[Chancellor of Austria|Chancellor]] (''Bundeskanzler'') as [[head of government]]. Governments, both local and federal, exercise [[executive power]]. Federal [[legislative power]] is vested both in the [[Government of Austria|Federal Government]] and in the two chambers of [[Austrian parliament|Parliament]]; the [[National Council (Austria)|National Council]] (''Nationalrat'') and the [[Federal Council (Austria)|Federal Council]] (''Bundesrat''). The [[Judiciary of Austria]] is independent of the executive and legislative branches of government.

Following the end the Second World War and re-establishment of Austria as a sovereign state, the conservative [[Austrian People's Party]] (ÖVP) and the centre-left [[Social Democratic Party of Austria]] (SPÖ) dominated politics and public life for decades, with only one additional party—the FPÖ—playing a significant role at the national level. More recently, the pattern of two-party dominance withered with the rise of newer parties, such as the Greens and the NEOS.

The ethnically and culturally heterogeneous [[nation state|nation-state]] of Austria is one of the many remnant states of [[Austria-Hungary]], a vast multinational [[empire]] that ceased to exist in 1918. The Austrian Republic was preceded by a [[constitutional monarchy]], whose legislative body was elected by, as ''[[The New York Times]]'' put it, "quasi-universal (male) suffrage" for the first time in 1897.<ref>de Wolf, Bradford Colt (3 April 1897). [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9A0DE7DC143DE633A2575BC1A9629C94669ED7CF IN AUSTRIA'S PARLIAMENT, There Is A Socialist Group]. ''[[New York Times]]''. Retrieved 21 May 2010.</ref>

Austria's first attempt at republican governance after the [[Aftermath of World War I#Austria-Hungary|fall of the monarchy in 1918]] was severely hampered by the crippling economic burden of war reparations required by the victorious [[Allies of World War I|Allies]]. Austria's First Republic (1918–1938) made some pioneering reforms in the 1920s, particularly in Vienna, that served as models for the [[Social welfare state|social-welfare state]]s of post-World War I Europe. However, the Republic gradually developed into the [[Austrofascism|Austrofascist]] [[dictatorship]] between 1933 and 1934 under Chancellor [[Engelbert Dollfuss]], who was assassinated by [[Austrian National Socialism|Nazi]] party agents in 1934. The First Republic ended with the ''[[Anschluss]]'' (annexation) to [[Nazi Germany]] in 1938. Following the [[End of World War II in Europe|defeat of the German Reich in 1945]] Austria resumed its republican government, after it fully regained its independence from the occupying Allied Powers. Austria's political system after re-establishment of democracy and self-determination is referred to as the Second Republic.

The beginning of the 21st century marked, for Austria, a half-century of a stable government under a constitutional [[federal republic]]an system. It is governed according to the principles of [[representative democracy]] and the [[rule of law]]. The constitutional framework of the politics of Austria and the marrow of the constitution's practical implementation are widely agreed{{by whom|date=August 2015}} to be robust and adequately{{quantify|date=August 2015}} conducive to peaceful change.

Austria was the 35th most electoral democratic country in the world in 2023 according to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]].<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref>

==Constitution==

{{Main|Constitution of Austria}}

Austria's constitution characterizes the republic as a [[Federalism|federation]] consisting of nine autonomous federal states (''Bundesländer''). Both the federation and all its states have written constitutions defining them as republican entities governed according to the principles of [[representative democracy]]. Aside from the fact that the [[states of Austria]] lack an independent [[judiciary]] on the one hand and that their autonomy is largely notional on the other hand, Austria's government structure resembles that of larger federal republics such as Germany.

==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|[[President of Austria|President]]
|[[Alexander Van der Bellen]]
|[[The Greens – The Green Alternative|The Greens]]
|26 January 2017
|-
|[[Chancellor of Austria|Chancellor]]
|[[Christian Stocker]]
|[[Austrian People's Party|ÖVP]]
|3 March 2025
|-
|[[Vice-Chancellor of Austria|Vice-Chancellor]]
|[[Andreas Babler]]
|[[Social_Democratic_Party_of_Austria|SPÖ]]
|3 March 2025
|}

=== Head of State ===
{{Main|President of Austria}}

Austria's [[head of state]] is the Federal President (''Bundespräsident''), elected by popular vote for a term of six years and limited to two consecutive terms of office.<ref>[http://www.hofburg.at/show_content2.php?s2id=12 Federal President of Austria: Electoral procedure] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927052436/http://www.hofburg.at/show_content2.php?s2id=12 |date=2011-09-27 }}. Retrieved 17 May 2010</ref> Former president [[Heinz Fischer]] was [[2010 Austrian presidential election|elected]] for a second term on 25 April 2010. He was succeeded by President [[Alexander Van der Bellen]], who was elected on 4 December 2016.  The office of the Federal President is largely ceremonial, although the constitution allows the president to dismiss the cabinet as a whole or to dissolve the National Council and call new elections.<ref>[http://www.hofburg.at/show_content2.php?s2id=7&language=en Federal President of Austria: Powers in Detail] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927052446/http://www.hofburg.at/show_content2.php?s2id=7&language=en |date=2011-09-27 }}. Retrieved 17 May 2010</ref>

=== Head of Government ===
{{Main|Chancellor of Austria}}

The Federal Chancellor (''Bundeskanzler'') is appointed by the Federal President. Although he is [[head of government]], he has no power to direct other members of the government.<ref name=bka>[http://www.bka.gv.at/site/3521/default.aspx Federal Chancellory of Austria - Responsibilities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208160440/http://bka.gv.at/site/3521/default.aspx |date=2009-02-08 }}. Retrieved 19 May 2010</ref> Following the [[Ibiza affair]], on 30 May 2019, President Van der Bellen appointed President of the Constitutional Court [[Brigitte Bierlein]] to serve as Federal Chancellor of a technocratic interim government until the formation and installation of a new political government following the parliamentary elections to be held later that year.

=== Government ===
{{Main|Austrian Federal Government}}

The federal [[Second Kurz government|cabinet]] consists of the Federal Chancellor appointed by the president and a number of ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor. The federal cabinet answers to the National Council and can be forced to resign through a [[motion of no confidence]].<ref name=bka />

Brigitte Bierlein's [[Bierlein government|cabinet]] consisted of top civil servants (''Spitzenbeamten)'' <ref group="Note">A ''Spitzenbeamter'' is the top civil servant in a department, cf. [[Permanent Secretary|Permanent Secretaries]] in British politics</ref> and current and retired jurors. [[Clemens Jabloner]] was Vice-chancellor.

Based on the results of the 29 September 2019 National Council elections, in which the ÖVP emerged as the strongest party, the president asked Sebastian Kurz to form a new coalition government. Van der Bellen, formerly a leader of the Green Party, expressed the wish for high inclusion of women in the new cabinet. Women had parity in the caretaker government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://kurier.at/politik/inland/livestream-kurz-erhaelt-auftrag-zur-regierungsbildung/400639817|title=Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen erteilte dem ÖVP-Chef heute den Auftrag zur Regierungsbildung, hatte aber einige Wünsche parat.|date=7 October 2019|work=Kurier|access-date=7 October 2019}}</ref>

==Legislative branch==
[[File:Austria Parlament Front.jpg|thumb|256px|The Austrian Parliament building in Vienna]]
{{Main|Parliament of Austria}}

The Parliament of Austria (''Parlament'') consists of [[bicameralism|two chambers]]. The [[National Council of Austria|National Council]] (''Nationalrat'') has 183 members, elected for a five-year term by [[proportional representation]].<ref name=NC>[http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/NR/AUFGG/NRAufgg-E_Portal.shtml National Council - Functions, Role and Legal Framework] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324011341/http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/NR/AUFGG/NRAufgg-E_Portal.shtml |date=2009-03-24 }}. Retrieved 19 May 2010</ref> It is the predominant one of the two chambers.

To be represented in the National Council, a party needs to either win at least four percent of votes across the nation or win a seat (''[[Direktmandat]]'') in one of the 43 regional constituencies.<ref>[http://electionresources.org/at/#ASPECTS electionresources.org - Federal Elections in Austria]. Retrieved 19 May 2010</ref>

The [[Federal Council of Austria|Federal Council]] (''Bundesrat'') consists of 62 members and is less powerful. Its members are selected by the [[Landtag#Austrian legislatures|state legislatures]] (''Landtage''). The apportionment of seats to the individual states is recalculated after each [[census]]. The power of the Federal Council is rather limited. In most cases it has only a suspensive [[veto]], which can be overruled by the National Council. In some situations, however, such as for example legislation that imposes limits on the competences of the provinces, Federal Council approval is required.<ref>[http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/BR/AUFGG/BRAUFGG-E_Portal.shtml Federal Council - Responsibilities and Legal Principles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324010613/http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/BR/AUFGG/BRAUFGG-E_Portal.shtml |date=2009-03-24 }}. Retrieved 19 May 2010</ref>

The [[Federal Assembly (Austria)|Federal Assembly]] (''Bundesversammlung''), which is formed by National Council and Federal Council in joint session, is largely a ceremonial institution. Its main responsibility is the swearing-in of the Federal President. It can also call a referendum on the removal of the president from office or bring the president before the Constitutional Court if it concludes that the president violated the constitution, and is ultimately responsible for declaring war.<ref>[http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/BV/AUFGG/BVAUFGG-E_Portal.shtml Federal Assembly of Austria - Responsibilities and Legal Principles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324112558/http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/BV/AUFGG/BVAUFGG-E_Portal.shtml |date=2009-03-24 }}. Retrieved 17 May 2010</ref>

Following the accession to the [[European Union]], Austria's parliament had to cede some of its power to European Union institutions.<ref name="NC" />

A convention, the Austrian Convention (''Österreich Konvent''), was established in 2003 to develop proposals for a reform of the Austrian constitution and central government institutions. It presented a report in 2007, with some of its proposals adopted by parliament.<ref>[http://www.konvent.gv.at/K/EN/Welcome_Portal.shtml The Austrian Convention and Constitutional Reform]. Retrieved 19 May 2010</ref>

==Judicial branch==
{{Main|Judiciary of Austria}}

==Direct democracy==
Austria's legal system distinguished between three different instruments of [[direct democracy]]: [[referendum]]s (''Volksabstimmungen''), [[Popular initiative|popular initiatives]] (''Volksbegehren'') and [[Opinion poll|national opinion polls]] (''Volksbefragungen'').<ref name="directdemocracy">[http://www.bmi.gv.at/cms/BMI_wahlen/english_version/Instruments_Democrac.aspx Instruments of Direct Democracy]. ''Austrian Ministry of the Interior''. Retrieved 21 May 2010.</ref>

A referendum on a bill is to be held if a majority of the National Council's members demand it or by a resolution of the President, which has to be counter-signed by all members of government. Also, substantial changes to the constitution always require a referendum, while changes to parts of the constitution only require a referendum if at least one third of the members of the National Council or if the Federal Council demands it. The result of a referendum is binding and the bill in question is not passed into law if a majority votes against it. Until now there have been two referendums in Austria, the most recent being on its [[1994 Austrian European Union membership referendum|entry into the European Union]].<ref>[http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/PB/VOLKABST/PB_VOLKSABST-E_Portal.shtml Holding a Referendum]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Parliament of Austria. Retrieved 21 May 2010.</ref>

Popular initiatives can start a legislative process: if a popular initiative is signed by at least 100,000 registered voters, the National Council has to consider it. It takes precedence over all other matters on the National Council's agenda.<ref>[http://www.parlament.gv.at/EN/AP/PB/VOLKBG/PB_VOLKSBG-E_Portal.shtml Holding a Public Initiative]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Parliament of Austria. Retrieved 21 May 2010</ref> As of 2010, 32 initiatives have taken place since their introduction in 1963.<ref name="directdemocracy" />

National opinion polls or consultative referendums are held, unlike referendums, before the National Council passes a law. Its results are not legally binding. As of 2015, there has only been [[2013 Austrian conscription referendum|one national opinion poll]].

==Political parties==
{{Main|List of political parties in Austria}}

===Austrian People's Party===
{{Main|Austrian People's Party}}
[[File:Mitgliederzahl parteien Österreichs - Party membership of parties in Austria.png|thumb|Party membership of parties in Austria, since 1945]]
The People's Party (''Österreichische Volkspartei'', or ÖVP, since rebranded ''Die Neue Volkspartei''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dieneuevolkspartei.at/Die-Geschichte|title=Unsere Geschichte (Our History)|website=Die Neue Volkspartei|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929171903/https://www.dieneuevolkspartei.at/Die-Geschichte|archive-date=29 September 2019|access-date=19 October 2019}}</ref>) was founded by leaders of the former [[Christian Social Party (Austria)|Christian Social Party]] in 1945 as a [[Conservatism|conservative]]/[[Centre-right]] party with loose ties to the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic Church]].<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/austria/119.htm countrystudies.us - Austrian People's Party]. Retrieved 22 May 2010.</ref> Between 1945 and 1970 it provided the Chancellor of Austria and since 1987 it has continuously been in government, its leader [[Wolfgang Schüssel]] serving as Chancellor between 2000 and 2007. It finds support from farmers, large and [[small business]] owners, and lay Catholic groups, but also from voters without party affiliation, with strongholds in the rural regions of Austria. In the nationwide elections in 2008 it finished second with 26% of the vote, the worst result in the party's history.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7641441.stm Austria's right hails poll result], ''[[BBC News]]''. Retrieved 22 May 2010</ref> Since 1991 the party is a member of the [[European People's Party]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epp.eu/parties-and-partners/|title=Parties & Partners|website=European People's Party|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-02}}</ref>

After the collapse of the ÖVP-led coalition government with the FPÖ, the ÖVP performed well in the snap elections held on 29 September 2019, gaining 9 additional seats, while support for the FPÖ dropped sharply, resulting in a loss of 20 seats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wahl19.bmi.gv.at/|title=Nationalratswahl 2019 (National Council Election Results)|website=Bundesministerium fur Inneres (Interior Ministry)|access-date=19 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022215825/https://wahl19.bmi.gv.at/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The President of Austria accordingly asked ÖVP leader [[Sebastian Kurz]] to commence coalition talks to form a new government.

A few days later, Kurz formed his second ruling coalition between his conservative ÖVP party and the Greens.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austrias-new-conservative-green-coalition-enthusiastic-about-climate-and-europe/|title=Austria's new conservative-Green coalition enthusiastic about climate and Europe|access-date=8 January 2020|website=EURACTIV|date=8 January 2020 }}</ref> In July 2020, the coalition set up its new center to deal with "political Islam" and its "dangerous ideology."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/analysis/analysis-austrian-state-s-pioneering-anti-muslim-institution/1919972|title=Austrian state's 'pioneering' anti-Muslim institution|access-date=23 July 2020|website=Anadolu Agency}}</ref>

===Social Democratic Party of Austria===
{{Main|Social Democratic Party of Austria}}
The Social Democratic Party ({{lang|de|Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs}}, or SPÖ) is a [[Social democracy|social democratic]]/[[Centre-left politics|centre-left]] political party that was founded in 1888 as the Social Democratic Worker's Party ({{lang|de|Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei}}, or SDAP), when [[Victor Adler]] managed to unite the various opposing factions.<ref>[http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.s/s673001.htm Encyclopedia of Austria - SPÖ]. Retrieved 21 May 2010.</ref> The party was reconstituted as the Socialist Party of Austria in 1945 (renamed to the Social Democratic Party of Austria in 1991) after being outlawed in 1934. Between 1970 and 1999, it governed the country either alone or with a junior partner, and all but three of the [[List of Federal Presidents of Austria|Presidents of Austria]] since 1945 have either been members of the SPÖ or nominated by it. Originally having a high following among blue-collar workers, it sought to expand its focus on middle class and white-collar workers in the late 1950s. In the 1990s, it started viewing privatisation of nationalised industries more openly, after large losses of state owned enterprises came to light.<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/austria/118.htm countrystudies.us - Social Democratic Party of Austria]. Retrieved 21 May 2010.</ref> Following the 2008 financial crisis, the party started advocating a global [[Financial transaction tax|transaction tax]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3165.htm|title=Austria|website=U.S. Department of State|access-date=21 May 2010}}</ref> It finished first in the National Council election of 2008 with 29.3% of the vote. The party is a member of the [[Socialist International]] and the [[Party of European Socialists]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socialistinternational.org/about-us/members/|title=Members|website=Socialist International|language=en|access-date=2020-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pes.eu/en/members/index.html|title=Members|website=PES|language=en|access-date=2020-01-02|archive-date=1 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501061053/https://www.pes.eu/en/members/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Unlike the ÖVP, the SPÖ has been less successful in reinventing itself and adopting to a new political landscape. It suffered heavy losses in the 2019 National Council elections, ending up with a dozen seats fewer than in the previous legislative session. The party intended to rebuild and serve as opposition to the ÖVP-led coalition government under Kurz.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/01/resurgent-austrian-greens-in-coalition-deal-with-centre-right-party|title=Resurgent Austrian Greens in coalition deal with centre-right party|date=2020-01-01|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-01|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In January 2020 the SPÖ received almost 50% of the votes in regional elections in the State of [[Burgenland]] under the leadership of [[Hans Peter Doskozil]], which gave him an absolute majority of seats in the Landtag, and allows him to govern without the support of a junior coalition partner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kurier.at/politik/inland/wahlen-im-burgenland-doskozil-raeumt-ab-enttaeuschung-fuer-tuerkis-gruen/400737324|title=Doskozil räumt ab, Enttäuschung für Türkis-Grün|last=daniela.kittner|website=kurier.at|date=26 January 2020 |language=de|access-date=2020-01-31}}</ref> This surprising success raises the possibility that the SPÖ could reverse recent setbacks at the national level likewise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kurier.at/meinung/sieg-im-burgenland-damit-wird-doskozil-die-themen-in-der-spoe-vorgeben/400737297|title=Damit wird Doskozil die Themen in der Bundespartei vorgeben|last=martin.gebhart|website=kurier.at|date=26 January 2020 |language=de|access-date=2020-01-31}}</ref>

===Freedom Party of Austria===
{{Main|Freedom Party of Austria}}
The Freedom Party (''Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs'', or FPÖ) is a [[Right-wing populism|right-wing populist]] political party that was founded in 1955 as a successor to the [[Federation of Independents]].<ref name="aeiou-fpo">[http://www.aeiou.at/aeiou.encyclop.f/f746164.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ]. Encyclopedia of Austria. Retrieved 13 June 2010.</ref> According to polls, it mainly attracts votes from young people and workers.<ref>Nordland, Rod (4 October 2008). [http://www.newsweek.com/2008/10/03/charging-to-the-right.html Charging To The Right]. ''[[Newsweek]]''. Retrieved 13 June 2010.</ref> Their [[Nationalism|nationalist]] rhetoric targets [[Islamophobia|Muslims]], [[Nativism (politics)|immigrants]] and the [[Euroscepticism|European Union]].<ref>Gruber, Ruth Ellen (18 April 2010). [http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/international_news/nazi_past_haunts_austrias_upcoming_elections/18183 Nazi past haunts Austria's upcoming elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427142245/http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/international_news/nazi_past_haunts_austrias_upcoming_elections/18183 |date=27 April 2010 }}. ''[[Baltimore Jewish Times]]''. Retrieved 13 June 2010.</ref><ref>Schudel, Matt (12 October 2008). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101102447_2.html Jörg Haider; Politician Made Far-Right Party A Force in Austria]. ''[[Washington Post]]''. Retrieved 13 June 2010.</ref> The party steadily gained support after [[Jörg Haider]] took over leadership of the party in 1986, until it attracted about 27% of the vote in the 1999 elections. After being reduced to 10% in the 2002 elections, they achieved 17.5% in 2008.

Thanks to their strong performance in the 2017 national elections, the FPÖ became the junior partner in a government led by the ÖVP under Sebastian Kurz as Chancellor, but the government was ousted through a vote of no confidence as a result of a political scandal involving the FPÖ's leader, dubbed the [[Ibiza affair]]. The FPÖ suffered punishing losses in subsequent federal and state elections. It expelled its longtime leader H-C Strache, who set up his own party to run in the 2020 Vienna local elections, but failed to reach the 5% threshold to sit in the city parliament.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Vienna voters deal blow to the far-right in local elections|url=https://www.dw.com/en/vienna-voters-deal-blow-to-the-far-right-in-local-elections/a-55236783|date=2020-10-11|access-date=2020-10-12|website=DW.com|language=en-GB}}</ref>

===The Greens - The Green Alternative===
{{Main|The Greens - The Green Alternative}}
The Greens (''Die Grünen''), a party focusing on environmental and social justice issues as part of the worldwide [[Green politics|Green]] movement, received 10.4% of the vote in 2008. They are particularly strong in the city areas, for example in Vienna, where they received 22% of the votes in the 2004 EU-elections. In [[Neubau]] they received 41% of the votes, more than SPÖ and ÖVP combined. The Greens attract left-liberal intellectuals and voters from 18 to 30. Some insist on characterizing the Greens as [[Left-wing politics|leftists]] because they are perceived to be anti-capitalist and certainly employ anti-corporate rhetoric and less business friendly policies.  However, this labeling confuses the differences between the Greens—who place a great deal of faith in local markets and direct democracy—and left-Socialists and Communists who tend to favor centralization and planned economies and economic class issues.

The Green Party suffered internal strife and fissure in 2017 and failed to surmount the 4% threshold in the national elections held that year. It thus lost all of its seats in the National Council, but made a spectacular comeback in snap elections of September 2019, with a vote share of 13.9% and 25 seats. Their strong showing, combined with the steep losses of the scandal-ridden FPÖ, made them a possible coalition partner for the People's Party, which had won the largest number of votes and seats of all parties with [[Sebastian Kurz]] as its candidate to become [[Chancellor of Austria]] for the second time. Following two months of intense negotiations, Kurz and Green Party leader [[Werner Kogler]] announced a coalition agreement on New Year's Day 2020. The new cabinet was sworn in by President [[Alexander Van der Bellen|Van der Bellen]] a week later.

===NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum===
{{Main|NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum}}
The Liberal Forum (''Liberales Forum'', or LIF), founded on [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] ideals, split from the FPÖ in February 1993. It received 3.65% of the vote in the 1999 election and thus failed to pass the 4% threshold necessary for representation in the lower house of parliament (''Nationalrat''). After being reduced to under 1% in the 2002 election, they disappeared almost completely from public view, receiving 2.1% of the votes in 2008. In 2013 the LIF made a party alliance with the classic-centre liberal [[NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum|NEOS]] for the [[2013 Austrian legislative election|legislative election]] and entered into the National Council. In 2014, the parties merged.

The NEOS achieved their best result ever in the [[2019 Austrian legislative election|2019 National Council elections]], with 8.1% of the votes and 15 seats, a gain of five seats over the previous elections in 2017, but this number was insufficient to qualify them as a viable junior coalition party with the leading ÖVP.

{{Main|Second Kurz government}}

==Elections==
{{Main|Elections in Austria}}
{{Main|Austrian presidential election, 2016}}

'''Summary of the [[2019 Austrian legislative election]] results'''
{| class="wikitable"
| colspan="15" align="center" |[[File:Autriche2019.svg]]
|-
! colspan="2" |Party
!Votes
!%
!Seats
!+/–
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Austrian People's Party (2017)}}" |
| align="left" |[[Austrian People's Party]]
|1,789,417
|37.5
|71
| +9
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Austria}}" |
| align="left" |[[Social Democratic Party of Austria]]
|1,011,868
|21.2
|40
|–12
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Freedom Party of Austria}}" |
| align="left" |[[Freedom Party of Austria]]
|772,666
|16.2
|31
|–20
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|The Greens – The Green Alternative}}" |
| align="left" |[[The Greens – The Green Alternative]]
|664,055
|13.9
|26
| +26
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum}}" |
| align="left" |[[NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum]]
|387,124
|8.1
|15
| +5
|-
! colspan="6" |
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|JETZT (party)}}" |
| align="left" |[[JETZT (party)|JETZT]]
|89,169
|1.9
|0
|–8
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Party of Austria}}" |
| align="left" |[[KPÖ Plus|Communist Party of Austria Plus]]
|32,736
|0.7
|0
|0
|-
| bgcolor="#D32C0B" |
| align="left" |[[Der Wandel]]
|22,168
|0.5
|0
|New
|-
| bgcolor="#FFEB3B" |
| align="left" |[[The Beer Party (Austria)|The Beer Party]]
|4,946
|0.1
|0
|New
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|My Vote Counts!}}" |
| align="left" |[[My Vote Counts!|Every Vote Counts!]]
|1,767
|0.0
|0
|0
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Alliance for the Future of Austria}}" |
| align="left" |[[Alliance for the Future of Austria|BZÖ Carinthia – Alliance of Patriots]]
|760
|0.0
|0
|New
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Socialist Left Party (Austria)}}" |
| align="left" |[[Socialist Left Party (Austria)|Socialist Left Party]]
|310
|0.0
|0
|0
|-
| bgcolor="#FAD41B" |
| align="left" |[[Christian Party of Austria]]
|260
|0.0
|0
|0
|-
| colspan="2" align="left" |Invalid/blank votes
|58,223
|–
|–
|–
|-
| colspan="2" align="left" |'''Total'''
|'''4,835,469''' 
|'''100'''
|'''183'''
|'''0'''
|-
| colspan="2" align="left" |Registered voters/turnout
|6,396,802
|75.6
|–
|–
|-
| colspan="6" align="left" |Source: [https://wahl19.bmi.gv.at/ Austrian Interior Ministry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022215825/https://wahl19.bmi.gv.at/ |date=22 October 2019 }}
|}

See: [[2017 Austrian legislative election]] and [[2019 Austrian legislative election]]

==Political conditions==
{{Main|Elections in Austria}}
Since World War II, Austria has enjoyed political stability. A Socialist elder statesman, Dr. Karl Renner, organized an Austrian administration in the aftermath of the war, and general [[1945 Austria legislative election|elections were held in November 1945]]. In that election, the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) obtained 50% of the vote (85 seats) in the National Council, the Socialists won 45% (76 seats), and the communists won 5% (4 seats). The ensuing three-party government ruled until 1947, when the communists left the government and the ÖVP led a governing coalition with the socialists that governed until 1966. In that year, the ÖVP won an absolute majority and ruled alone for the next four years. The tables turned in 1970, when the SPÖ became the strongest party for the first time, winning an absolute majority under its charismatic leader [[Bruno Kreisky]] in 1971. Between 1971 and 1999, the SPÖ ruled the country either alone or in conjunction with the ÖVP, except from 1983 to 1986, when it governed in coalition with the Freedom Party, until the coalition broke when the right-wing politician [[Jörg Haider]] became the leader of the Freedom Party.

After the [[1999 Austrian legislative election|election of 1999]], despite emerging only in third place after the elections, the ÖVP formed a coalition with the right wing-populist Freedom Party (FPÖ) in early 2000. The SPÖ, which was the strongest party in the 1999 elections, and the Greens now form the opposition. As a result of the inclusion of the FPÖ on the government, the EU imposed symbolic sanctions on Austria, which were revoked six months later. The USA and Israel, as well as various other countries, also reduced contacts with the Austrian Government. The ÖVP was re-elected, this time with a plurality of votes, in the [[2002 Austrian legislative election|2002 elections]], and formed another coalition government with the FPÖ, this time largely ignored by other countries.

After major disputes inside the FPÖ between Haider and [[Vice Chancellor of Austria|vice-chancellor]] [[Susanne Riess-Passer]] (the so-called ''[[Knittelfeld Putsch]]''), the ÖVP broke the coalition in 2002 and called for re-elections. Riess-Passer left the FPÖ, and the former Minister of Social Services, [[Herbert Haupt]], was appointed as new leader. In a brilliant marketing move, Chancellor [[Wolfgang Schüssel]] convinced the then very popular Minister of Finance [[Karl-Heinz Grasser]] to change from the FPÖ to the ÖVP.

Not only was the FPÖ publicly blamed for breaking the coalition and had lost Minister Grasser to the ÖVP, their style of government and broken promises also left many of their former voters disillusioned. In the elections, which were held on 24 November 2002, they suffered the biggest loss of votes in Austria's history, going down from 27% to only 10%. Most of these losses went to the ÖVP, which went up from 26% to 42%, the highest value for decades. Both Greens and Social Democrats gained votes, but not enough to form a coalition with only 85 of 183 seats.

Against public opinion, which was in favour of an ÖVP-SPÖ coalition government, Chancellor Schüssel renewed the coalition between the ÖVP and FPÖ.

Despite being exposed to fierce criticism from the opposition parties for failed or highly unfavorable privatization deals, the highest tax rates and unemployment figures since 1945, a questionable fighter jet purchase and repeated accusations that Finance Minister Grasser may have evaded taxes, the government seems to be the most stable in decades as both parties are afraid of losing votes. Recent law changes concerning the police, the national television and radio company, the federal railways and the social security system have led to an increase of the ÖVP's and FPÖ's influence in these bodies.

The Social Democratic Party of Austria emerged as the strongest party in the [[2006 Austrian legislative election|2006 elections]] forming a government with the Austrian People's Party, SPÖ party leader [[Alfred Gusenbauer]] becoming the new Chancellor.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/08/world/europe/08iht-austria.4140358.html?_r=1 Austrians announce a coalition]. ''[[New York Times]]''. Retrieved 18 May 2010</ref>

The Social Democratic Party under [[Alfred Gusenbauer]] emerged as the winner of [[2006 Austrian legislative election|Austria's general election]] in October 2006. After negotiations with the ÖVP were successfully concluded Alfred Gusenbauer and his SPÖ-ÖVP coalition government were sworn in on 11 January 2007, by President Heinz Fischer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Next prime minister aims to preserve Austria's economy - Europe - International Herald Tribune |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/02/world/europe/02iht-austria.3003223.html |work=The New York Times |date=2 October 2006}}</ref>

This coalition broke up again in June 2008. [[2008 Austrian legislative election|Elections]] in September 2008 further weakened both major parties, Social Democrats and People's Party, but together they still hold more than 50% of the votes with the Social Democrats holding the majority. The Freedom Party and the recently deceased [[Jörg Haider]]'s new party [[Alliance for the Future of Austria]], both right-wing parties, were strengthened.<ref>{{cite news |title=Austrian Elections – DW – 09/29/2008 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/far-right-enjoys-gains-as-social-democrats-win-austrian-election/a-3677965 |work=dw.com |language=en}}</ref> Due to the surge of the right at the last elections, many speculated that any government coalition would include at least one of the two far-right parties.  This idea was put to rest when both the Social Democrats and the People's Party stated that neither of them would work with the Freedom Party or the Alliance for the Future of Austria.  Lengthy negotiations led to a renewed "grand coalition" consisting of the Social Democrats and the People's Party. Thus A [[snap election]] in [[2008 Austrian legislative election|2008]] saw both government parties losing votes, however, the coalition between SPÖ and ÖVP was renewed, with [[Werner Faymann]], the new leader of the SPÖ, following Alfred Gusenbauer as Chancellor.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7760921.stm Austria's new coalition sworn in]. ''[[BBC News]]''. Retrieved 18 May 2010</ref>

On 17 May 2016, [[Christian Kern]] from Social Democrats (SPÖ) was sworn in as new chancellor. He continued governing in a "grand coalition" with the conservative People's Party (ÖVP). He took the office after former chancellor, also from SPÖ, [[Werner Faymann]]'s resignation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Welle (www.dw.com) |first1=Deutsche |title=Austria's Christian Kern sworn in as new chancellor {{!}} DW {{!}} 17.05.2016 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/austrias-christian-kern-sworn-in-as-new-chancellor/a-19263395 |work=DW.COM |date=17 May 2016}}</ref>

The [[Austrian People's Party]] and [[The Greens – The Green Alternative]] formed a coalition government on 1 January 2020, marking the first time the Greens have gained power.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/austria-greens-enter-government-for-first-time-join-kurzs-conservatives/a-51853261 Austria: Greens enter government for first time, join Kurz's conservatives] Deutsche Welle, 1 January 2020</ref> A week later, Austria's first female-majority cabinet was sworn in and Chancellor [[Sebastian Kurz]], 33, reclaimed the distinction of being the world's youngest head of government.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/austria-swears-in-first-female-majority-cabinet/a-51915301 Austria swears in first female-majority Cabinet] DW, 7 January 2020</ref>

On 11 October 2021, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned, after pressure triggered by a corruption scandal.  Foreign Minister [[Alexander Schallenberg]] of ÖVP succeeded him as chancellor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sebastian Kurz: Austrian leader resigns amid corruption inquiry |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58856796 |work=BBC News |date=9 October 2021}}</ref> Following a corruption scandal involving the ruling People's Party, Austria got its third conservative chancellor in two months after [[Karl Nehammer]] was sworn into office on 6 December 2021. His predecessor Alexander Schallenberg had left the office after less than two months. ÖVP and the Greens continued to govern together.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Welle (www.dw.com) |first1=Deutsche |title=Austria: Karl Nehammer sworn in as new chancellor {{!}} DW {{!}} 06.12.2021 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/austria-karl-nehammer-sworn-in-as-new-chancellor/a-60032938 |work=DW.COM |date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

==Political pressure groups and lobbies==
State-approved, compulsory-membership chambers of labour, commerce and agriculture, as well as by [[trade unions]] and [[lobbying|lobbyist]] groups exercise sometimes significant influence on the Federal Government. Decisions of the so-called Austrian Social Partnership (''Sozialpartnerschaft''), consisting of the [[Austrian Trade Union Federation|trade union]] and the chambers of [[Economic Chamber of Austria|commerce]], [[Chamber of Labor|labour]] and [[Conference of the Presidents of Farmer's Chambers|farmers]], affect a number of Austrian laws and policies, for example its labour law and labour market policy.<ref>[http://www.sozialpartner.at/sozialpartner/Sozialpartnerschaft_mission_en.pdf Austrian Social Partnership - Mission] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706094330/http://www.sozialpartner.at/sozialpartner/Sozialpartnerschaft_mission_en.pdf |date=2011-07-06 }}. Retrieved 20 May 2010.</ref>

===Overview of groups===
[[Austrian National Union of Students]] (ÖH), [[Austrian Trade Union Federation]] (ÖGB), [[Chamber of Labor]] (AK), Conference of the Presidents of Farmers' Chambers, [[Economic Chamber of Austria]] (WKO), [[Federation of Austrian Industry]] (VOeI), [[Roman Catholic Church]], including its chief lay organization, [[Catholic Action]].

==Foreign relations==
{{Main|Foreign relations of Austria}}

In 1955 Austria passed the [[Declaration of Neutrality]] declaring the country permanently [[neutral country|neutral]], on which Austria based her foreign policy from then on. In the 1990s the meaning of this neutrality was changed with Austria becoming a member of the [[European Union]] in 1995 and her participation in [[United Nations|UN]] [[peacekeeping]] missions.<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3165.htm#foreign US Department of State - Austria, Foreign Relations], Retrieved 20 May 2010.</ref> Since the start of 2009 Austria is a non-permanent member of the [[United Nations Security Council]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110429214927/http://www.bmeia.gv.at/index.php?id=67169&L=1 Austrian Mission New York]. Retrieved 20 May 2010.</ref>

===International organization participation===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[African Development Bank|AfDB]]
*[[Asian Development Bank|AsDB]]
*[[Australia Group]]
*[[Bank for International Settlements|BIS]]
*[[Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation|BSEC]] (observer)
*[[Customs Cooperation Council|CCC]]
*[[Council of Europe|CE]]
*[[Central European Initiative|CEI]]
*[[CERN]]
*[[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council|EAPC]]
*[[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development|EBRD]]
*[[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe|ECE]]
*[[European Investment Bank|EIB]]
*[[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union|EMU]]
*[[European Space Agency|ESA]]
*[[European Union|EU]]
*[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]
*[[Group of 9|G-9]]
*[[Inter-American Development Bank|IADB]]
*[[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]]
*[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]]
*[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]]
*[[International Criminal Court|ICC]]
*[[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]]
*[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]]
*[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]]
*[[International Development Association|IDA]]
*[[International Energy Agency|IEA]]
*[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]]
*[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]]
*[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]]
*[[International Labour Organization|ILO]]
*[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]]
*[[International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis|IIASA]]
*[[International Maritime Organization]]
*[[Intelsat]]
*[[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]]
*[[IOC]]
*[[International Organization for Migration|IOM]]
*[[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]]
*[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]]
*[[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|MINURSO]]
*[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]] (guest)
*[[Nuclear Energy Agency|NEA]]
*[[Nuclear Suppliers Group|NSG]]
*[[Organization of American States|OAS]] (observer)
*[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]]
*[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]]
*[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]]
*[[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]]
*[[Partnership for Peace|PFP]]
*[[United Nations|UN]]
*[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]]
*[[United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone|UNDOF]]
*[[UNESCO]]
*[[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|UNFICYP]]
*[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]]
*[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]]
*[[United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission|UNIKOM]]
*[[United Nations Institute for Training and Research|UNITAR]]
*[[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina|UNMIBH]]
*[[United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]]
*[[United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan|UNMOT]]
*[[United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia|UNOMIG]]
*[[UNTAET]]
*[[United Nations Truce Supervision Organization|UNTSO]]
*[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]]
*[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]]
*[[Western European Union|WEU]] (observer)
*[[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]]
*[[World Health Organization|WHO]]
*[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]]
*[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]]
*[[World Tourism Organization|WToO]]
*[[World Trade Organization|WTrO]]
*[[Zangger Committee]]
{{Div col end}}

==Maps==
<gallery>
File:FPÖ Landtage.svg|States in which the FPÖ is involved in the state government as a small coalition partner (Dark Blue);  states in which the FPÖ is represented in the state parliament as an opposition party (Light Blue)
File:ÖVP Landtage.svg| Dark Black in state government
File:SPÖ Landtage.svg| Dark Red in state government
File:GRÜNE Landtage.svg| Dark green in state government
File:KPÖ Landtage.svg| Dark red in state parliament
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist |32em}}

{{Austria topics}}
{{Politics of Europe}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics of Austria}}
[[Category:Politics of Austria| ]]

[[bn:অস্ট্রিয়া#রাজনীতি]]