| 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) |
1 October 2006 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
Elections were held for all the seats in the National Council following premature dissolution of this body on 14 July 2006. Elections to the National Council had previously taken place on 24 November 2002. |
On 12 July 2006
the major political parties reached an agreement to dissolve the National Council and hold parliamentary elections on 1 October
eight weeks ahead of schedule. The National Council was subsequently dissolved on 14 July.
In the last elections held in November 2002
the centre-right People's Party (ÖVP) won 79 seats
followed by the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) with 69. The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) took 19 seats
while the Greens obtained 16. The international community expressed concern when the ÖVP formed a coalition government with the FPÖ
after talks with the SPÖ and Greens had collapsed. In the presidential elections held in April 2004
the SPÖ candidate
Mr. Heinz Fischer
defeated the ÖVP candidate
Ms. Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In campaigning for the 2006 elections
ÖVP highlighted the business-friendly tax cuts implemented by Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel's government. The opposition SPÖ argued that ÖVP policies had increased inequalities among the population
and pledged to deal with youth unemployment. The FPÖ called for the expulsion of foreigners from Austria. The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ)
formed in April 2005 by former FPÖ leader
Mr. Jörg Haider
also campaigned on an anti-immigration platform.
Approximately 74 per cent of the 6.1 million registered voters turned out at the polls. It was suggested that the drop in turnout of 10 percentage points from the 2002 elections indicated disaffection among the ÖVP's traditional electorate.
The final results gave a narrow majority to the SPÖ
which won 68 seats
followed by the ÖVP with 66
and the FPÖ with 21. The Greens won 20 seats
while the BZÖ won eight.
On 11 October 2006
the President of the Republic
Mr. Heinz Fischer
asked the SPÖ leader
Mr. Alfred Gusenbauer
to form a new government.
The newly elected National Council was convened on 30 October 2006. Ms. Barbara Prammer of the SPÖ was elected as its new Speaker
becoming the first woman to assume the post.
After three months of negotiations
a grand coalition between the SPÖ and the ÖVP was finalized when the two parties reached an agreement on budget issues. Mr. Gusenbauer was sworn in as Prime Minister on 11 January 2007. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 1 October 2006 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
6'107'851
4'533'500 (74.22%)
82'871
4'450'629 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
Gain/Loss |
|
% |
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) |
|
1'589'126 |
-'203'373 |
|
35.71 |
|
|
| People's Party (ÖVP) |
|
1'523'143 |
-'553'690 |
|
34.22 |
|
|
| Freedom Party (FPÖ) |
|
499'113 |
7'785 |
|
11.21 |
|
|
| Greens |
|
466'844 |
1'864 |
|
10.49 |
|
|
| Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) |
|
186'794 |
186'794 |
|
4.20 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Gain/Loss |
|
|
|
| Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) |
68
|
-1 |
|
|
|
| People's Party (ÖVP) |
66
|
-13 |
|
|
|
| Freedom Party (FPÖ) |
21
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Greens |
20
|
3 |
|
|
|
| Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) |
8
|
8 |
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
124
59
32.24%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
| Public service
Austrian national railways
post office |
55 |
| Social insurance system
political parties
special-interest groups |
45 |
| Banking
tourism
commerce
insurance |
19 |
| Liberal professions |
18 |
| Industry and trade |
16 |
| Others |
15 |
| Agriculture and forestry |
14 |
| Homemaker |
1 |
|
| Comments |
Sources:
- http://wahl06.bmi.gv.at/
- Parliament (30.10.2006) |
A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page