Changes

The Social Democratic Party traditionally draws its constituency from blue- and white-collar workers. Accordingly, much of its strength lies in urban and industrialized areas. In the 2006 national elections, it garnered 35.3% of the vote. In the past, the SPÖ advocated state involvement in Austria's key industries, the extension of social security benefits, and a full-employment policy. Beginning in the mid-1980s, it shifted its focus to free market-oriented economic policies, balancing the federal budget, and European Union membership.  

The Social Democratic Party traditionally draws its constituency from blue- and white-collar workers. Accordingly, much of its strength lies in urban and industrialized areas. In the 2006 national elections, it garnered 35.3% of the vote. In the past, the SPÖ advocated state involvement in Austria's key industries, the extension of social security benefits, and a full-employment policy. Beginning in the mid-1980s, it shifted its focus to free market-oriented economic policies, balancing the federal budget, and European Union membership.  

The People's Party advocates conservative financial policies and privatization of much of Austria's nationalized industry. It finds support from farmers, large and small business owners, and some lay Catholic groups, mostly in the rural regions of Austria. In 2006, it received 34.3% of the vote. The Greens won 11.1% of the vote in 2006, becoming the third-largest party in parliament. The rightist Freedom Party traditionally had a base in classic European liberalism. However, after losing much of its support in the 2002 elections and suffering a split, the FPO won slightly more of the vote in 2006–11%--than it did in 2002, due to a populist, anti-immigration theme. The Alliance-Future-Austria (BZÖ) split from the FPÖ in 2005. All the FPÖ's Federal Ministers and most of its parliamentarians joined the BZÖ, and that party formally became the junior partner in the governing coalition. The BZO was unable to draw significant popular support away from the FPÖ, but managed to enter parliament in 2006 with 4.1% of the vote. After Haider's death, the BZÖ shifted towards the political center, and in 2010, many of its members rejoined the FPÖ.<ref>Smith, Reiss (September 22, 2016). [http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/713318/freedom-party-austria-fpo-anti-eu-europe-Norbert-Hofer What is the Freedom Party of Austria? The anti-EU party that could win Austria's election]. ''Daily Express''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Heinz-Christian Strache became the leader of the FPÖ.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/at-political-parties-fpo.htm Freedom Party of Austria]. ''globalsecurity.org''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

The People's Party advocates conservative financial policies and privatization of much of Austria's nationalized industry. It finds support from farmers, large and small business owners, and some lay Catholic groups, mostly in the rural regions of Austria. In 2006, it received 34.3% of the vote. The Greens won 11.1% of the vote in 2006, becoming the third-largest party in parliament. The rightist Freedom Party traditionally had a base in classic European liberalism. However, after losing much of its support in the 2002 elections and suffering a split, the FPO won slightly more of the vote in 2006–11%--than it did in 2002, due to a populist, anti-immigration theme. The Alliance-Future-Austria (BZÖ) split from the FPÖ in 2005. All the FPÖ's Federal Ministers and most of its parliamentarians joined the BZÖ, and that party formally became the junior partner in the governing coalition. The BZO was unable to draw significant popular support away from the FPÖ, but managed to enter parliament in 2006 with 4.1% of the vote. After Haider's death, the BZÖ shifted towards the political center, and in 2010, many of its members rejoined the FPÖ.<ref>Smith, Reiss (September 22, 2016). [http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/713318/freedom-party-austria-fpo-anti-eu-europe-Norbert-Hofer What is the Freedom Party of Austria? The anti-EU party that could win Austria's election]. ''Daily Express''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

In the first round of the 2016 Austrian presidential election, FPÖ candidate [[Norbert Hofer]] received 35.1 percent of the vote, which at the time was the party's best result in a national election in history.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (April 25, 2016). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-right-gets-boost-from-austrian-freedom-party-victory-1461598555 European Right Gets Boost From Austrian Freedom Party Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the run-off election by less than one percentage point, Austria’s Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the election due to irregularities in mail-in ballots.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (June 1, 2016). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-court-orders-rerun-of-presidential-vote-1467369788 Austrian Court Orders Rerun of Presidential Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrievd December 17, 2016.</ref> The election was eventually postponed until December 4, 2016.<ref>Connolly, Kate (September 12, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/austria-presidential-election-rerun-to-be-postponed-faulty-glue-ballot-papers Austrian presidential election postponed due to faulty glue]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref><ref>Tomlinson, Chris (September 13, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/13/fpo-austrian-election-delay-embarrassment/ Freedom Party Calls Austrian Election Delay An ‘Embarrassment’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the election, being defeated by leftist Green Party candidate [[Alexander Van der Bellen]], the party vowed to fight on.<ref>Oliphant, Roland; Cseko, Balazs (December 4, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/05/time-comes-says-defiant-austrian-far-right-freedom-party-claims/ Austrian far-right defiant as Freedom Party claims 'pole position' for general election: 'Our time comes']. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

In the first round of the 2016 Austrian presidential election, FPÖ candidate [[Norbert Hofer]] received 35.1 percent of the vote, which at the time was the party's best result in a national election in history.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (April 25, 2016). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/european-right-gets-boost-from-austrian-freedom-party-victory-1461598555 European Right Gets Boost From Austrian Freedom Party Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the run-off election by less than one percentage point, Austria’s Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the election due to irregularities in mail-in ballots.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (June 1, 2016). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-court-orders-rerun-of-presidential-vote-1467369788 Austrian Court Orders Rerun of Presidential Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrievd December 17, 2016.</ref> The election was eventually postponed until December 4, 2016.<ref>Connolly, Kate (September 12, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/austria-presidential-election-rerun-to-be-postponed-faulty-glue-ballot-papers Austrian presidential election postponed due to faulty glue]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref><ref>Tomlinson, Chris (September 13, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/13/fpo-austrian-election-delay-embarrassment/ Freedom Party Calls Austrian Election Delay An ‘Embarrassment’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the election, being defeated by leftist Green Party candidate [[Alexander Van der Bellen]], the party vowed to fight on.<ref>Oliphant, Roland; Cseko, Balazs (December 4, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/05/time-comes-says-defiant-austrian-far-right-freedom-party-claims/ Austrian far-right defiant as Freedom Party claims 'pole position' for general election: 'Our time comes']. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>