The FPÖ as the Strongest Party in Austria

The 2024 European elections marked a significant turning point in Austria's political landscape. For the first time in the history of the Second Republic, the FPÖ became the party with the most votes in a nationwide election. The FPÖ won 25.4 percent of the vote and was able to double its number of MPs.

The 2024 National Council elections marked the next high point in the history of the Freedom Party in Austria after the European elections in June of the same year. For the first time in the Second Republic, the FPÖ emerged as the strongest party in a National Council election. For the second time, voters put the Freedom Party in first place in a nationwide election. The Freedom Party, with its federal party and club chairman, MP Herbert Kickl, as its top candidate, won almost 29 percent of the vote (+13%), while the ÖVP came in second with 26 percent (-11%). The SPÖ fell to third place for the first time in a National Council election with 21 percent (+/-0%). The Greens also lost, receiving 8 percent of the vote (-6%). Neos gained 1 percent, reaching 9 percent and thus fourth place. Voter turnout was 77.3 percent. Of the 4,929,745 votes cast, 1,408,514 went to the FPÖ. In Carinthia, Styria, Upper Austria and Burgenland, the FPÖ came first in terms of votes cast for the 2024 National Council election, and second in the remaining federal states.

A lot will change in the National Council after this election: the ÖVP parliamentary group loses 20 representatives and slips to 51 seats. Due to electoral arithmetic shifts, the SPÖ gains one mandate despite losses and has 41 seats. The Freedom Party won 57 seats and thus gained 26 new members of the National Council. The Greens lost ten seats and now have 16 seats in parliament, while the Neos gained three seats and ended up with 18 seats. Despite first place, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, contrary to previous practice, gave the task of forming a government not to the party with the most votes, but to the current Chancellor and ÖVP party leader.