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Election Date: April 25, 2004

At Stake: President

Background

On Dec. 1, 2003, interior minister Ernst Strasser suggested Apr. 25, 2004 as the date for the presidential election in Austria. Current head of state Thomas Klestil of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) was ineligible for a third term.

The president is conventionally regarded as a ceremonial dignitary in the European country. Klestil, a former ambassador to the United States, replaced Kurt Waldheim as Austria's head of state in 1992. The candidacy of Waldheim—a former United Nations (UN) secretary-general—provoked worldwide debate in the 1980s over his role in the German armed forces during World War II.

The country's political climate has changed dramatically in the past few years. In October 1999, the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) saw substantial gains in the legislative vote and became part of a governing coalition with the OVP. The FPO's anti-immigration agenda eventually led to diplomatic sanctions by the European Union (EU).

The OVP was the top party in the November 2002 legislative vote, and formed a new coalition government with the FPO after talks with the Social-Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and the environmentalist Greens (Grune) broke down.

Two well-known politicians entered the presidential race. Current foreign minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner was nominated by the OVP, while former National Council president Heinz Fischer contended for the SPO.

Voting went on without any major incidents on Apr. 25. Fischer was elected with 52.41 per cent of the vote, while Ferrero-Waldner received 47.59 per cent. Ferrero-Waldner kept her post as Austria's foreign minister.

On Jul. 6, outgoing president Klestil died at the age of 71 of heart failure. Fischer was sworn in as Austria's new president on Jul. 8.

Political Players

Federal President: Heinz Fischer - SPO
Federal Chancellor: Wolfgang Schuessel - OVP

The president is elected to a six-year term by the people.

Legislative Branch: The Parlament (Parliament) has two chambers. The Nationalrat (National Council) has 183 members, elected to four-year terms by proportional representation. The Bundesrat (Federal Council) has 64 members, chosen to serve four to six-year terms by the provincial legislatures.

Results of Last Election:

President - Apr. 25, 2004

National Council - Nov. 24, 2002

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