Austria's Electoral Process: Voting In The Government

Austrian citizens aged 16 and above can vote in elections at all government levels, while those aged 18 and above can stand as candidates, except in presidential elections, where the minimum age is 35. Austria has a multi-party system, with the National Council, the lower house of the bicameral parliament, being elected by proportional representation every five years. The country's election law distinguishes between the active right to vote and the passive right to be elected, with different minimum age requirements. The voting system requires voters to select a political party on their ballot, rather than individual candidates.

Austria's multi-party system

Austria has a multi-party system, with five political parties represented in the Austrian Parliament. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), a conservative/centre-right party, has been in government continuously since 1987. The other parties are the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Greens, and the NEOS.

Austrian election law distinguishes between the "active" right to vote and the "passive" right to be elected, i.e. stand as a candidate. Citizens who will be aged 16 by election day and older may vote in elections at all levels of government. Citizens aged 18 and over may stand as candidates in elections, except for presidential elections, where the minimum age is 35. Citizens of other European Union member states with permanent residence in Austria may vote in European Union and municipal elections.

The Parliament of Austria consists of two chambers. The National Council (Nationalrat) is the predominant chamber, with 183 members elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. To be represented in the National Council, a party needs to either win at least 4% of the votes across the nation or win a seat in one of the regional constituencies. The Federal Council (Bundesrat) is less powerful, with 62 members selected by the state legislatures.

Austria's legal system also distinguishes between three different instruments of direct democracy: referendums (Volksabstimmungen), popular initiatives (Volksbegehren), and national opinion polls (Volksbefragungen). A referendum on a bill must be held if a majority of the National Council's members demand it or by a resolution of the President, which must be counter-signed by all members of the government. 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 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.

Popular initiatives can also start a legislative process: if a popular initiative is signed by at least 100,000 registered voters, the National Council must consider it. National opinion polls or consultative referendums are held before the National Council passes a law, but their results are not legally binding.

The National Council

Austrian election law distinguishes between the "active" right to vote and the "passive" right to be elected, i.e. stand as a candidate. Citizens who will have attained the age of 16 by election day and older may exercise the right to vote in elections at all levels of government. Citizens aged 18 and up may stand as candidates in elections, except for presidential elections, for which the minimum age is 35.

Active and passive voting rights

Austrian election law differentiates between the "active" right to vote and the "passive" right to be elected, or to stand as a candidate. The active voting right refers to the right of citizens to vote in elections, while the passive voting right refers to the right of citizens to be elected and hold office.

In Austria, citizens who will have attained the age of 16 by election day and older may exercise their right to vote in elections at all levels of government. This includes federal, state, and local elections. Austria has a multi-party system, and elections for the National Council, the lower house of Austria's parliament, are held regularly every five years. The National Council is elected through proportional representation, with a threshold of at least 4% of all valid votes cast nationwide or winning a seat in one of the regional electoral districts.

For the passive voting right, citizens aged 18 and above may stand as candidates in elections, except for presidential elections, where the minimum age to stand as a candidate is 35. This allows for a broader representation of the population in the government and ensures that a diverse range of voices are heard and represented in the political process.

It is important to note that citizens of other European Union member states with permanent residence in Austria are also granted active voting rights in municipal elections and elections for the European Parliament. This inclusion of EU citizens in the electoral process ensures that their voices and interests are taken into account in local decision-making and European Union policies.

Additionally, Austrian law provides for direct democracy through referendums, popular initiatives, and national opinion polls. A referendum on a bill may be held if demanded by a majority of the National Council's members or by a resolution of the President. Substantial changes to the constitution always require a referendum, while changes to certain parts of the constitution may require a referendum if requested by a significant portion of the National Council or the Federal Council.

Coalition governments

Austria has a multi-party system, with five political parties currently represented in the Austrian Parliament. From 1945 to 1983, Austrian politics had a two-party system, with the SPÖ (centre-left) and the ÖVP (centre-right) being the only parties to form a government.

In the Austrian system of government, the Federal Government is headed by the Federal Chancellor, who, along with the Vice Chancellor, federal ministers, and state secretaries, conducts government business. The Federal Chancellor is responsible for preparing draft legislation, which is then submitted to Parliament.

The Parliament of Austria consists of two chambers: the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The National Council is the predominant chamber, with 183 members elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. For a party to be represented in the National Council, it must either pass the threshold of at least 4% of all valid votes cast nationwide or win a seat in one of the regional electoral districts.

In recent years, Austria has seen a shift towards three-party coalition governments. In 2025, the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) formed a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPO) and the liberal Neos, marking the first three-party government since World War II. This coalition was formed after the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) won the September 2019 parliamentary election but failed to form a workable coalition.

Previously, in 2019, the ÖVP had negotiated a coalition agreement with the Green Party, bringing them into the government for the first time. This followed a period of ÖVP-led coalition governments with the FPÖ, which collapsed due to the Ibiza affair scandal.

Referendums and national opinion polls

Austrian election law distinguishes between three instruments of direct democracy: referendums, popular initiatives, and national opinion polls. Referendums are held on a bill when demanded by a majority of the National Council's members or by a resolution of the President, which must be counter-signed by all members of the government. Additionally, substantial changes to the constitution require a referendum, while changes to parts of the constitution only require a referendum if demanded by at least one-third of the National Council or the Federal Council. The result of a referendum is binding, and the bill in question is not passed into law if a majority votes against it. There have been two referendums in Austria to date, the most recent being on its entry into the European Union.

Popular initiatives can also start a legislative process: if an initiative is signed by at least 100,000 registered voters, the National Council must consider it as a priority over all other matters on its agenda. As of 2010, 32 initiatives have taken place since their introduction in 1963.

National opinion polls, or consultative referendums, are held before the National Council passes a law. Unlike referendums, the results of national opinion polls are not legally binding. As of 2015, there has only been one national opinion poll in Austria.

Austria's government is elected through a system of proportional representation. Elections take place every five years, unless a snap election is called. Austria has a multi-party system, with five political parties currently represented in the Austrian Parliament: the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Greens, and the NEOS.

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