| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Parlament / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Nationalrat / National Council |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Bundesrat / Federal Council
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
15 October 2017 |
| Purpose of elections |
As in previous elections, no party won an outright majority in the 183-member National Council in these snap elections called one year before they were constitutionally due. The People's Party (ÖVP), led by Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, came first with 62 seats, winning 11 more than the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), led by Prime Minister Christian Kern. The Freedom Party (FPÖ), led by Mr. Heinz-Christian Strache, closely followed.
On 20 October, President Alexander Van der Bellen (independent, supported by the Greens) tasked ÖVP leader Kurz with forming a new government. On 24 October, Mr. Kurz announced that he would invite the FPÖ for coalition talks, and on 18 December, he was sworn in as Prime Minister of an ÖVP-FPÖ coalition government, thereby becoming the youngest (31 years old) head of government in the European Union. The ÖVP and FPÖ had previously formed a coalition government in 2000.
The 2017 elections followed presidential elections in 2016. Prime Minister Werner Faymann (SPÖ) resigned in May 2016 and was succeeded by Mr. Kern. In May 2017, ÖVP leader Reinhold Mitterlehner resigned, citing infighting in the government, and was succeeded by Mr. Kurz. The government collapsed shortly afterwards, triggering early elections in October. During the election campaign, the major parties focused on migration, border control, the reduction of benefits for immigrants and tax reforms. |
Date of previous elections: 29 September 2013
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 9 November 2017
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: October 2022
Number of seats at stake: 183 (full renewal renewal)
Number of candidates: 2,047
Percentage of women candidates: Not available.
Number of parties contesting the election: 16
Number of parties winning seats: 5
Alternation of power: Yes
Number of parties in government: 2
Names of parties in government: People's Party (ÖVP), Freedom Party (FPÖ)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 9 November 2017
Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Elisabeth Köstinger (People's Party, ÖVP) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 15 October 2017 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
6'400'998
5'120'879 (80%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| People's Party (ÖVP) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Freedom Party (FPÖ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Neos-New Austria (NEOS) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Peter Pilz List (PILZ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Party (ÖVP) |
62
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) |
52
|
|
|
|
|
| Freedom Party (FPÖ) |
51
|
|
|
|
|
| Neos-New Austria (NEOS) |
10
|
|
|
|
|
| Peter Pilz List (PILZ) |
8
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
120
63
34.43%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
National Council (09.11.2017)
https://wahl17.bmi.gv.at/
http://www.nationalratswahl.at/kandidaten.html
Associated Press
https://www.reuters.com
http://www.express.co.uk |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
