Damon Mcknight
Austria's political landscape is characterised by a multi-party system, with five parties represented in the National Council and Federal Council, and four parties consistently receiving enough votes to get seats in the national parliament. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) have historically dominated politics, but newer parties such as the Greens and the NEOS have gained traction in recent years. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is another significant force in national politics, known for its right-wing populist and EU-skeptic stance. The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) and a number of fringe parties also exist, although they hold little power.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Government | Federal semi-presidential republic |
| Head of State | President (Bundespräsident) |
| Head of Government | Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) |
| Executive Power | Governments, both local and federal |
| Federal Legislative Power | Federal Government, National Council (Nationalrat), and Federal Council (Bundesrat) |
| Number of Parties in Parliament | 5 |
| Political Parties | Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), The Greens, and NEOS |
| Oldest Parties | Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) |
| Newer Parties | The Greens, NEOS |
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What You'll Learn
Austria's political party landscape
Austria's political landscape is characterised by a multi-party system, with five parties represented in the National Council and Federal Council, and four parties consistently receiving enough votes to gain seats in the national parliament. The country's political system is a federal semi-presidential republic, with a directly elected President serving as head of state and a Chancellor as head of the government.
The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), a centre-right Christian-democratic party, is one of the oldest and most influential parties in the country. It was founded in the 1890s as the successor to the Christian Social Party and has dominated Austrian politics alongside the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) since the end of World War II. The ÖVP describes itself as a "progressive centre party" and represents a combination of conservative forces and various social and economic groups.
The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) is another major party, founded in 1889 as the Social Democratic Worker's Party. It represents social democratic values such as freedom, equality, justice, and solidarity, and advocates for social justice, equal opportunities, and the interests of workers, youth, and pensioners.
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a right-wing populist party founded in 1956. It represents national conservative and EU-skeptic positions and has become a significant force in Austrian politics in recent decades. However, in the 2019 snap elections, the FPÖ lost 20 seats, while the ÖVP gained 9 additional seats.
The Greens, an environmentalist party, is another notable force in Austrian politics. They advocate for environmental protection, social justice, and human rights, with core values including direct democracy, nonviolence, ecology, solidarity, feminism, and self-determination. The Greens first won seats in parliament in 1986 and have been coalition partners with the ÖVP since 2020.
In addition to these major parties, Austria has several smaller parties, including NEOS, a liberal party founded in 2012, and the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ), one of the oldest communist parties in the world, founded in 1918.
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The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)
The ÖVP was founded in 1945, following the re-establishment of the Republic of Austria and has been represented in the Federal Assembly ever since. It is an unofficial successor to the Christian Social Party of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The ÖVP dominated Austrian politics and public life for decades after World War II, often in coalition with the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) and the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ).
The ÖVP has consistently been the strongest or second-strongest party in terms of Federal Assembly seats and has led or been a partner in most federal cabinets. It underwent a significant change in image after Sebastian Kurz became chairman, adopting the colour turquoise and the alternate name, The New People's Party (Die neue Volkspartei). The ÖVP became the largest party after the 2017 election and formed a coalition government with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). However, this coalition collapsed due to the Ibiza affair, leading to the 2019 election.
Following the 2019 snap elections, the ÖVP formed a new coalition with The Greens, marking the first Conservative-Green coalition government in Austria. This coalition was formed under the leadership of Sebastian Kurz, who resigned as chancellor in October 2021 due to a corruption inquiry. Since January 2025, the acting leader of the ÖVP has been Christian Stocker.
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The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ)
Austrian politics operates within a federal semi-presidential republic framework, with a multi-party system. The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) is a centre-left political party and is the oldest extant political party in Austria, founded in 1889 as the Social Democratic Workers' Party of Austria (SDAPÖ). The SPÖ has close ties to the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) and the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK).
In the interwar period, the SPÖ, maintaining its particularities in the face of German social democracy and Soviet communism, envisaged creating a new international movement to bring together the different currents of socialism. The party supported the idea of a union with Berlin to form a great democratic German republic, but this was forbidden by the Allies in the Treaty of St. Germain. The SPÖ was banned in 1934 following the Austrian Civil War and suppressed during the Austrofascist and Nazi periods.
After the Second World War, the SPÖ was reconstituted as the "Socialist Party of Austria" (SPÖ), led by Adolf Schärf. The party entered the government of the Second Republic as part of a grand coalition with the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) until 1966. From 1971 to 1983, under Bruno Kreisky, the SPÖ was the sole governing party. From 1987 to 2000, the SPÖ led a grand coalition with the ÖVP before returning to opposition for the first time in 30 years. The party returned to government from 2007 to 2017, and since 2025, it has governed as a junior partner of the ÖVP, alongside NEOS.
The SPÖ currently holds 40 of the 183 seats in the National Council, the second-largest number of any party. It won 21.2% of the votes in the 2019 legislative election and 21.1% in 2024. The party holds seats in the legislatures of all nine states and is the largest party in three: Burgenland, Carinthia, and Vienna. It is supportive of Austria's membership in the European Union and is a member of the Progressive Alliance and Party of European Socialists.
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The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)
Austrian politics operates within a federal semi-presidential republic framework, with a multi-party system. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a political party in Austria, described as far-right, right-wing populist, national conservative, and Eurosceptic. The party has seen fluctuations in its popularity since its founding in 1956, but it has consistently played a significant role in national politics.
The FPÖ was founded as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU), which represented pan-Germanists and national liberals opposed to socialism and Catholic clericalism. The VdU was formed by two liberal Salzburg journalists who were former prisoners of Nazi Germany and wanted to provide an alternative to the mainstream socialist and Catholic parties. The FPÖ has been a fixture in Austrian politics since its inception, often as a junior partner in coalition governments.
Under the leadership of Heinz-Christian Strache from 2005 to 2019, the FPÖ focused on portraying itself as a "social" party and a guarantor of Austrian identity and the social welfare state. During this period, the party experienced a resurgence in popularity, with its support peaking at 26% in the 2017 election. However, the Ibiza affair in May 2019 led to the collapse of the government and the resignation of Strache from his positions as vice-chancellor and party leader.
The FPÖ has faced internal tensions and leadership changes throughout its history. In 2005, Haider and a significant portion of the party leadership left the FPÖ to form the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ). More recently, the party has been led by Herbert Kickl, who has steered the party toward a more Russia-friendly and Eurosceptic position. In the 2024 election, the FPÖ won 28.85% of the votes cast, making it the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 out of 183 seats.
On a European level, the FPÖ is a founding member of the Patriots.eu and has six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sitting with the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group. The FPÖ's inability to form a coalition government with the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) in early 2025 led to a political crisis in Austria, highlighting the party's ongoing impact on the country's political landscape.
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The Greens
The Austrian Green movement began in 1978 with a successful campaign to prevent the opening of a nuclear power plant in Zwentendorf. The Green Party was officially formed in 1984 during sit-in protests. When they first took their seats in parliament, the Greens chose to appear somewhat unconventional, refusing to adapt their behaviour to that of the other parties. For example, they initially refused to elect a chairperson and instead designated a straw puppet. They also wore casual clothing, such as jeans and trainers, in parliament.
In the 2019 snap legislative election, the Greens made a strong recovery and returned to the National Council with their best-ever result, scoring 13.9% and electing 26 MPs. This led to the formation of a Conservative-Green coalition government in January 2020, with the ÖVP, marking the first time the Greens have been part of the ruling coalition.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria has a multi-party system, with over 1,100 registered political parties. However, only a few are widely known. The main political parties in Austria are the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), the Greens, and the NEOS.
The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Greens formed a coalition government in 2020. The ÖVP is a centre-right Christian-democratic and conservative party, while the Greens advocate for environmental protection, social justice, and human rights.
Austria is a federal semi-presidential republic. It has a multi-party system and a two-chamber parliament. The country has a President who serves as head of state and a Chancellor as head of government.
