(09/26/08) -

SPO Leads as Austria Heads to Election

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) is leading in the final days of the country’s electoral campaign, according to a poll by OGM. 29 per cent of respondents would vote for the SPO in this Sunday’s ballot.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) is leading in the final days of the country’s electoral campaign, according to a poll by OGM. 29 per cent of respondents would vote for the SPO in this Sunday’s ballot.

The Austrian People’s Party (OVP) is second with 26 per cent, followed by the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) with 18 per cent, the Greens (Grune) with 11 per cent, the Alliance for Austria’s Future (BZO) with eight per cent, the Liberal Forum (LIF) with four per cent, and the Citizens’ Forum (BF) with two per cent.

In October 2006, Austrian voters renewed the Federal Council. Final results gave the SPO 35.71 per cent of the vote and 68 lawmakers, followed by the OVP with 34.33 per cent and 66 legislators. In January 2007, SPO leader Alfred Gusenbauer was formally sworn in as the country’s new federal chancellor, heading a coalition government encompassing the SPO and the OVP.

On Jul. 7, the OVP left the administration, forcing an early ballot. The federal election is scheduled for Sept. 28. The OVP is headed by finance minister Wilhelm Molterer, while the SPO has anointed transport minister Werner Faymann as its leader.

On Sept. 24, Faymann decided not to attend a televised debate, apparently due to a scheduling conflict. Molterer criticized his rival, saying, "I always thought FF stands for voluntary firefighters. Now I know it stands for Faymann is absent."

Polling Data

Which party would you vote for in the federal election?

Source: OGM
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 505 Austrian voters, conducted on Sept. 19, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.