Conservative party ÖVP predominantly suffered losses to far-right party FPÖ in recent elections
A Switch in Vienna's Political Landscape
The FPO's impressive victory in the Vienna municipal council elections on Sunday saw a significant shift from the OVP.
According to the voter analysis by Foresight Institute for APA and ORF, only 37% of the OVP voters from the 2020 municipal council election stood by the Turks and Blacks in this round, compared to 27% for the FPO, 16% for the SPO, and 12% for the NEOS. Just 4% of OVP voters decided to sit this one out.
Looking at it from the other side, 29% of FPO voters in this election had previously supported the Blues and the OVP in 2020, while 26% stuck with the SPO.
A Whopping 40,000 OVP Voters Joined the FPO
The exodus from the Turks-Schwarz to Blau is noticeable in absolute numbers: Out of the 148,000 OVP voters in 2020, 55,000 stuck with the OVP this time while 40,000 switched to the FPO. The SPO gained 24,000 votes, and the NEOS 18,000.
On the other hand, the SPO managed to keep 71% (216,000) of its 2020 voters. It lost 36,000 votes to the FPO – much less than the OVP due to the higher total number of voters. Around 11% (33,000) chose not to vote, and minimal losses were seen to other parties.
The Reds' Angry Campaign Failed
The KPO's heated election campaign, which aimed to court red votes with the slogan "Ludwig will win anyway," failed to deliver. KPO's new voters predominantly came from its own 2020 voters (29%), the Greens (29%), and the SPO (11%). A smaller proportion hailed from others (11%) or were non-voters (8%).
The HC Strache team was largely absorbed by the FPO: 54% of the HC voters from 2020 marked their ballots for the Blues this time. Only 18% chose the new list of the former FPO vice-chancellor, or decided not to vote at all.
Interestingly, Recent Austrian political trends suggest that right-wing parties, including the FPÖ, have been growing in popularity. In the 2024 Austrian legislative election, the FPÖ secured its best result ever, winning 28.8% of the vote, while the ÖVP lost seats[2]. This shift towards right-wing parties might stem from dissatisfaction with the current government, economic concerns, or alterations in political rhetoric and policies. In the Vienna municipal council elections context, if such a shift occurred, it could be attributed to local issues, political strategy, or a broader nationwide trend favoring right-wing parties. For example, the FPÖ's success in the legislative elections underscores its wide appeal to voters seeking change or resonating with its populist policies. However, specific details regarding the shift in Vienna's municipal council elections aren't provided in the available data.
The shift towards right-wing parties, as seen in the Vienna municipal council elections with the FPO's success, could potentially lead to increased profit for businesses that align with their policies. War-and-conflicts and politics are often intertwined, so the rise of right-wing parties might prompt general news outlets to discuss potential changes in Austria's foreign relations.
