Austrian People's Party suffered significant losses to the Freedom Party of Austria
Vienna's Municipal Elections Shake Up: The FPO Steals the Show from the ÖVP
Data analysis by the Foresight Institute highlight a significant shift in allegiances during Vienna's 2025 municipal elections, primarily at the expense of the ÖVP. A mere 37% of ÖVP voters from 2020 remained loyal, with 27% opting for the FPO this time, 16% for the SPÖ, and 12% for NEOS. However, only 4% of ÖVP voters from 2020 chose to stay away from the ballot box.
A New Landscape: Who Voted for Who
As for the FPO, 29% of their 2020 voters swung to the ÖVP this time, and 26% to the SPÖ.
ÖVP's Steep Decline: A Matter of Absolute Numbers
In absolute terms, the loss is evident: out of the 148,000 ÖVP voters in 2020, 55,000 stuck with the ÖVP in 2025 while 40,000 jumped ship to the FPO. The SPÖ captured 24,000 formerly ÖVP votes, and the NEOS managed to lure 18,000.
The SPÖ managed to keep 71% of its 2020 voters (that's 216,000) and lost 36,000 to the FPO – a similar absolute number as the ÖVP, but a smaller percentage of 12% due to the much higher total number of voters. The SPÖ saw 11% (33,000) of their voters abstaining and minimal shifts to other parties.
The SPÖ's Promised Red Vote Goes Unfulfilled
Despite its attempts to win over red votes through the slogan "Ludwig will win anyway," the SPÖ's efforts were in vain. Most of the KPO’s voters came from their own 2020 voters (29%), the Greens (29%), with smaller percentages from the SPÖ (11%), others (11%), and non-voters (8%).
The HC Strache Connection
The HC Strache team appeared to largely split between the FPO and the new list of the former FPO vice-chancellor: 54% of HC voters from 2020 voted for the blues in 2025. On the other hand, only 18% opted for the new list, and 18% abstained from voting.
Multiple factors likely contributed to the shift of ÖVP voters to the FPÖ, though the provided sources do not explicitly explain these reasons. Possible factors include the ÖVP's sharp decline, the FPÖ's populist momentum, coalition dynamics, and localized trends within suburban areas. Overall, the realignment appears to stem from dissatisfaction with establishment parties and the FPÖ's effective mobilization on populist issues.
- The FPO, traditionally perceived as an opposition party, witnessed a surge in popularity, absorbing 27% of the voters who previously supported the ÖVP in the 2020 municipal elections.
- In the aftermath of Vienna's 2025 municipal elections, the policy-and-legislation landscape seemed to have undergone a significant shift, with politics playing a crucial role in voter decisions.
- The general news of the stunning victory for the FPO didn't come as a surprise, given the significant number of voters who shifted their allegiance from the ÖVP, causing the latter to lose 40,000 of its 2020 voters to the FoPo – a shift that brought about a considerable change in the political landscape of Vienna.
- The FPO, however, also experienced a counter-shift, with 29% of its 2020 voters opting for the ÖVP this time, suggesting that despite the FPO's current success, some voters may still hold reservations about their party's ideology and platforms.
