AUSTRIA: parliamentary elections Nationalrat, 1990

AUSTRIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Nationalrat

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1990

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Chamber:

Nationalrat

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

7 October 1990

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in the National Council following premature dissolution of this body. The Council’s term would normally have expired in December 1990; previous general elections had been held on 23 November 1986.

Background and outcome of elections:

The 1990 general elections were slightly premature. Dissolution of the National Council was approved on 5 July 1990.
As the previous (1986) poll, the main contenders for the 183 National Council seats were the ruling Socialist Party (SPÖ), the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) and the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ). The ÖVP, headed by Mr. Josef Riegler, was the partner in the outgoing Government coalition led by Chancellor Franz Vranitzky (SPÖ).
During the campaign, debate focused largely on domestic issues and mutual accusations between the parties. The Socialists - in power since 1970 - had been hurt by a series of corruption scandals; they centred their campaign on the personality of the Chancellor. Mr. Jörg Haider, the populist head of the FPÖ, campaigned strongly against immigration, especially from Eastern Europe; he characterized the two coalition partners as “old parties devoid of new ideas”.
Voting results left the SPÖ as the largest single party as the runner-up ÖVP lost 17 seats - its worst score in decades; the FPÖ, however, nearly doubled its representation to arrive at 33. As four years earlier, the outcome once again reflected the electorate’s shift to the right side of the political spectrum.
On 9 October, President of the Republic Kurt Waldheim asked Mr. Vranitzky to form a new Government. On 17 December, the latter was sworn in as Federal Chancellor at the head, once again, of a “grand coalition” of the SPÖ and the ÖVP.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (7 October 1990): Elections results

Number of registered electors 5,628,912

Voters 4,848,741 (86.14%)

Blank or invalid ballot papers 143,847

Valid votes 4,704,894

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group Candidates Votes %

Socialist Party (SPÖ) 183 2,012,787 41.51

People’s Party (ÖVP) 183 1,508,600 31.11

Freedom Party (FPÖ) 183 782,648 16.14

Green Alternatives 183 225,081 4.64

Communist Party (KPÖ) 183 25,685 0.52

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total Gain/Loss

Socialist Party (SPÖ) 80 =

People’s Party (ÖVP) 60 -17

Freedom Party (FPÖ) 33 +15

Green Alternatives 10 +2

Communist Party (KPÖ) 0 =

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 144

Women: 39

Distribution of seats according to age:

Under 30 years 4

31 - 40 years 32

41 - 50 years 77

51 - 60 years 59

Over 60 years and above 11

Distribution of seats according to profession:

Public civil service 64

Employees of social security institutions, trade unions, political parties 39

Industry & trade 29

Commerce & traffic 20

Liberal professions 15

Farming & forestry 13

Household 2

Others 1

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for AUSTRIA <<<

Chamber:
	Nationalrat
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	7 October 1990
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in the National Council following premature dissolution of this body. The Council’s term would normally have expired in December 1990; previous general elections had been held on 23 November 1986.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The 1990 general elections were slightly premature. Dissolution of the National Council was approved on 5 July 1990. As the previous (1986) poll, the main contenders for the 183 National Council seats were the ruling Socialist Party (SPÖ), the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) and the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ). The ÖVP, headed by Mr. Josef Riegler, was the partner in the outgoing Government coalition led by Chancellor Franz Vranitzky (SPÖ). During the campaign, debate focused largely on domestic issues and mutual accusations between the parties. The Socialists - in power since 1970 - had been hurt by a series of corruption scandals; they centred their campaign on the personality of the Chancellor. Mr. Jörg Haider, the populist head of the FPÖ, campaigned strongly against immigration, especially from Eastern Europe; he characterized the two coalition partners as “old parties devoid of new ideas”. Voting results left the SPÖ as the largest single party as the runner-up ÖVP lost 17 seats - its worst score in decades; the FPÖ, however, nearly doubled its representation to arrive at 33. As four years earlier, the outcome once again reflected the electorate’s shift to the right side of the political spectrum. On 9 October, President of the Republic Kurt Waldheim asked Mr. Vranitzky to form a new Government. On 17 December, the latter was sworn in as Federal Chancellor at the head, once again, of a “grand coalition” of the SPÖ and the ÖVP.

Round no 1 (7 October 1990): Elections results
Number of registered electors	5,628,912
Voters	4,848,741 (86.14%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	143,847
Valid votes	4,704,894

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Socialist Party (SPÖ)	183	2,012,787	41.51
People’s Party (ÖVP)	183	1,508,600	31.11
Freedom Party (FPÖ)	183	782,648	16.14
Green Alternatives	183	225,081	4.64
Communist Party (KPÖ)	183	25,685	0.52

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Gain/Loss
Socialist Party (SPÖ)	80	=
People’s Party (ÖVP)	60	-17
Freedom Party (FPÖ)	33	+15
Green Alternatives	10	+2
Communist Party (KPÖ)	0	=

Distribution of seats according to age:
Under 30 years	4
31 - 40 years	32
41 - 50 years	77
51 - 60 years	59
Over 60 years and above	11
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Public civil service	64
Employees of social security institutions, trade unions, political parties	39
Industry & trade	29
Commerce & traffic	20
Liberal professions	15
Farming & forestry	13
Household	2
Others	1