July 25, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Austrian People’s Party (OVP) is holding on to a slim lead, according to a poll by Klagenfurter Humaninstituts. 28 per cent of respondents would vote for the conservative party in the next federal election.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Austrian People’s Party (OVP) is holding on to a slim lead, according to a poll by Klagenfurter Humaninstituts. 28 per cent of respondents would vote for the conservative party in the next federal election.

The Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) is second with 25 per cent, followed by the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) with 19 per cent, The Greens (Grune) with 11 per cent, and the Alliance for Austria’s Future (BZO) 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.

On Jul. 22, Thomas Hofer, a political analyst, talked about the rising popularity of the ultra-nationalist FPO—led by Heinz-Christian Strache—saying, "Hostility to Europe has become a potent force in Austrian politics. Strache’s party is reaping the fruits of the major parties’ inability to convey the advantages of [European Union] membership and eastern enlargement to voters."

Polling Data

Which party would you vote for in the federal election?

Austrian People’s Party (OVP)	28%
Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO)	25%
Freedom Party of Austria (FPO)	19%
The Greens (Grune)	11%
Alliance for Austria’s Future (BZO)	2%
Others	15%

Source: Klagenfurter Humaninstituts
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,090 Austrian voters, conducted from Jul. 14 to Jul. 16, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.