(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and the Austrian People’s Party (OVP) are practically tied, according to a poll by Gallup. 27 per cent of respondents would vote for the SPO in this month’s federal election, while 26 per cent would support the OVP.

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) is third with 19 per cent, followed by the Greens (Grune) with 12 per cent. Support is lower for the Alliance for Austria’s Future (BZO), the Citizens’ Forum (BF), and the Liberal Forum (LIF).

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.

Austrians aged 16 to 18 will be allowed to vote for the first time in a federal election. On Aug. 27, the government launched a campaign hoping to lure this group to cast a ballot. Austrian youth minister Andrea Kdolsky commented on the campaign, saying, "Not many countries show much confidence in 16-year-olds. We’ve decided to prove to them that they can participate in democracy in their country and that it’s something that concerns their future."

Polling Data

Which party would you vote for in the federal election?

Source: Gallup
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,090 Austrian voters, conducted from Aug. 25 to Aug. 27, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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