List of political parties in Austria

This article lists political parties in Austria. Austria has a multi-party system. Of the over 1,100 registered political parties,[1] only few are known to the larger public. Since the 1980s, four parties have consistently received enough votes to get seats in the national parliament.

The parties

Party membership of parties in Austria, since 1945. Since 1986, the social democratic party has started a quick decline in membership.

Parties represented in Parliament or the European Parliament

There are five parties represented in the National Council. All of the parties in the National Council are also represented in the Federal Council and all of the five parties in the National Council are represented in the European Parliament.

Logo Name Abbr. Ideology Position European
party
EP
group
Leader National
Council
Federal
Council
Landtag
seats
MEPs
Government
Austrian People's Party
Österreichische Volkspartei
ÖVP Centre-right EPP EPP Christian Stocker
51 / 183
26 / 60
146 / 440
5 / 20
Social Democratic Party of Austria
Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs
SPÖ Centre-left PES S&D Andreas Babler
41 / 183
18 / 60
132 / 440
5 / 20
New Austria and Liberal Forum
Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum
NEOS Centre ALDE RE Beate Meinl-Reisinger
18 / 183
1 / 60
20 / 440
2 / 20
Opposition
Freedom Party of Austria
Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs
FPÖ Right wing
to far-right
Patriots.eu PfE Herbert Kickl
57 / 183
16 / 60
84 / 440
6 / 20
The Greens
Die Grünen
GRÜNE Centre-left
to left-wing
EGP G/EFA Werner Kogler
16 / 183
5 / 60
45 / 440
2 / 20

Parties represented in state parliaments

Logo Name Abbr. Ideology Position European
party
Leader Landtag seats
Communist Party of Austria
Kommunistische Partei Österreichs
KPÖ Far-left PEL Günther Hopfgartner
6 / 440
Team Carinthia
Team Kärnten
TK Right-wing EAFD Gerhard Köfer
5 / 440
Citizens' Forum Austria
Bürgerforum Österreich
FRITZ Centre EDP Andrea Haselwanter-Schneider
3 / 440
MFG Austria – People Freedom Fundamental Rights
MFG Österreich – Menschen Freiheit Grundrechte
MFG Right-wing
to far-right
N/a Michael Brunner
3 / 440

Parties which ran in the 2024 legislative election and/or the 2024 European elections

Logo Name Abbr. Ideology Position European
party
Leader
The Beer Party
Die Bierpartei
BIER Centre N/a Dominik Wlazny
Madeleine Petrovic List
Liste Madeleine Petrovic
LMP Centre-left N/a Madeleine Petrovic
Change
Der Wandel
KEINE Left-wing DiEM25 Fayad Mulla
Gaza List
Liste Gaza: Stimmen gegen den Völkermord
GAZA
  • Palestinianism
Far-left N/a Astrid Wagner
Democratic – Neutral – Authentic
Demokratisch – Neutral – Authentisch
DNA Right-wing ECR Maria Hubmer-Mogg

Minor parties

  • Team HC Strache – Alliance for Austria (Team HC Strache – Allianz für Österreich, HC)
  • Alliance for the Future of Austria (Bündnis Zukunft Österreich, BZÖ)
  • Black-Yellow Alliance (Schwarz-Gelbe Allianz, SGA)
  • Christian Party of Austria (Christliche Partei Österreichs, CPÖ)
  • Enotna Lista (Unity List, EL)
  • My Vote Counts! (Meine Stimme g!lt, G!LT)
  • Neutral Free Austria Federation (Bündnis Neutrales Freies Österreich, NFÖ)
  • Party of Labour of Austria (Partei der Arbeit Österreichs, PdA)
  • Pirate Party of Austria (Piratenpartei Österreichs, PPÖ)
  • Revolutionary Communist Party (Revolutionäre Kommunistische Partei, RKP)
  • Socialist Left Party (Sozialistische LinksPartei, SLP)
  • The Social Liberals (Die Sozialliberalen, SoL)
  • Volt Austria (Volt Österreich)

Major historical parties

Minor historical parties

  • Communist Initiative (Kommunistische Initiative, 2004–2013)
  • Communist League of Austria (Kommunistischer Bund Österreichs, KBÖ, 1976–1980)
  • Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers Party in the Republic of Austria (Czech: Československá sociálně demokratická strana dělnická v republice Rakoúské, 1919–1934)
  • Democratic Party of Austria (Demokratische Partei Österreichs, 1945–1949)
  • Free Party Salzburg (Freie Parteie Salzburg, FPS, 2015–2019)
  • Freedom Party in Carinthia (Die Freiheitlichen in Kärnten, FPK, 2009–2013)
  • German-National Party (Deutsche Nationalpartei, 1891–1920)
  • Jewish National Party (Jüdische Nationale Partei, 1892–1930)
  • League of Democratic Socialists (Bund Demokratischer Sozialisten, BDS, 1959)
  • Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum, LiF, 1993–2014)
  • Marxist–Leninist Party of Austria (Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Österreichs, MLPÖ, 1967–2006)
  • The Democrats (Die Demokraten, 1991–2002)
  • The Independents (Die Unabhängigen, DU, 1998–1999)
  • Union of Revolutionary Workers of Austria (Marxist-Leninist) (Vereinigung Revolutionärer Arbeiter Österreichs (Marxisten-Leninisten), VRAÖ, 1968–2005)

See also

Further reading

  • Müller, Wolfgang; Franz Fallend (November 2004). "Changing Patterns of Party Competition in Austria: From Multipolar to Bipolar System". West European Politics. 27 (5): 801–835. doi:10.1080/0140238042000283319. S2CID 154550537.

References

  1. ^ "BMI" (PDF).