Parliamentary elections are underway in Austria on Sunday. A total of six parties have a chance of entering the lower house of parliament (National Council). The latest pre-election polls indicate a possible victory of the opposition populist-nationalist Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe).
In Sunday's vote, 183 new deputies to the Austrian National Council will be elected in general elections, conducted on the basis of proportional electoral law while maintaining the four percent electoral threshold.
Any citizen over 16 years of age can cast a vote. The first polling stations opened at 6 a.m., the last ones will close at 5 p.m.
Austrians vote in the parliamentary electionsPAP/EPA/FILIP SINGER
The anti-EU group is leading in the polls
From the beginning of the election campaign in polls is led by the opposition Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) with a strong anti-EU profile. In her program she focused on nationalist and anti-immigrant slogans. In turn, the currently ruling Christian Democratic Austrian People's Party (OeVP) argued that, together with Chancellor Karl Nehammer, it was able to face numerous crises, as well as the growing inflationand promised to continue the current policy.
Karl NehammerPAP/EPA/FILIP SINGER
Opposition Social Democratic Party Austria (SPOe) emphasized social issues such as the fight against high prices, securing housing needs and equal rights for women and sexual minorities. New Austria and the Liberal Forum (NEOS) emphasized its attachment to the idea of European integration and the federal model of the EU.
The Greens, who were part of the outgoing government, focused on topics related to climate and environmental protection. The satirical Beer Party (Bierpartei) group, which wants health care reform, pension reform and an intensification of the fight against crime, may also get into parliament.
Recent polls indicate that six parties may enter the National Council: FPOe (with a projected result of 27 percent of votes), OeVP (25 percent), SPOe (20 percent), NEOS (11 percent), Greens (9 percent). ) and the Beer Party (4%).
What coalition?
These opinion polls show that the only possible two-party coalition would be an FPOe-OeVP government, but Nehammer is currently ruling out cooperation with FPOe leader Herbert Kickel.
Herbert KicklPAP/EPA/FILIP SINGER
According to political scientists, another alternative could be a grand coalition, but to create it OeVP and SPOe would need a third partner – NEOS or Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler's Green Party.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/FILIP SINGER