As of 17 September 2026

5 parties, 9 topics: who wants what

5 parties sit in Austria's National Council: ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens and NEOS. Their demands appear side by side here, each with a source. On one big point all 5 agree: work should carry lower taxes and levies.

  • Order as on the ballotÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens, NEOS – as at the 2024 election. The order implies no ranking.
  • Quotes word for wordText in “quotation marks” is taken from the manifesto, translated from German.
  • Every claim has a sourceFrom the party's 2024 manifesto, always linked.
  • No voting adviceThis page does not judge. It sets positions side by side.
183seats in the National Council
25linked sources: manifestos, official bodies, media and polls
110seats held by the ÖVP–SPÖ–NEOS government
9contested questions with quoted evidence

The 5 parties

183 seats, 5 parties, 1 government of 3 parties

Since 3 March 2025, ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS have governed. Together they hold 110 of 183 seats. The opposition consists of FPÖ and Greens.

Government

ÖVP

Austrian People's Party26.27%Election 2024 · 51 seatsLeader: Christian StockerManifesto: „Österreichplan: Das Programm“
Government

SPÖ

Social Democratic Party of Austria21.14%Election 2024 · 41 seatsLeader: Andreas BablerManifesto: „Mit Herz + Hirn. Unser Plan für dein besseres Österreich.“
Opposition

FPÖ

Freedom Party of Austria28.85%Election 2024 · 57 seatsLeader: Herbert KicklManifesto: „Festung Österreich – Festung der Freiheit“
Opposition

Greens

The Greens – The Green Alternative8.24%Election 2024 · 16 seatsLeader: Leonore GewesslerManifesto: „Wähl, als gäb’s ein Morgen“
Government

NEOS

NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum9.14%Election 2024 · 18 seatsLeader: Beate Meinl-ReisingerManifesto: „Reformen für dein neues Österreich“

Which parties would have a majority together?

Tap parties to add up their seats. A majority needs 92 seats.

  • ÖVP + SPÖ + NEOS: 110 seats, government since 2025.
  • ÖVP + SPÖ: 92 seats – exactly a majority.
  • ÖVP + FPÖ: 108 seats.
  • SPÖ + FPÖ: 98 seats.

Arithmetic majorities only. Whether parties work together is up to them.

2024 election and polls today

ÖVP
26.27%
SPÖ
21.14%
FPÖ
28.85%
Greens
8.24%
NEOS
9.14%
KPÖ
2.39%

Bars relative to 50%. Polls: weighted average according to PolitPro, as of 17 September 2026.

Polls

Polls in September 2026

Voting-intention polls ask who people would vote for if the election were held on Sunday. PolitPro turns them into a weighted average: ÖVP 21.1%, SPÖ 14.7%, FPÖ 38.5%, Greens 12.4%, NEOS 7.0% and KPÖ 3.9%. Newer polls count for more. Polls are snapshots with a margin of error.

Range of the latest polls

The band shows the lowest and highest value. The dot shows the weighted average according to PolitPro, the dash the 2024 result.

Range of the latest polls per partyÖVP 18–22 %, average 21.1%; SPÖ 14–18 %, average 14.7%; FPÖ 36–39 %, average 38.5%; Greens 8–13 %, average 12.4%; NEOS 7–10 %, average 7.0%; KPÖ 3–5 %, average 3.9%0%10%20%30%40%ÖVP21.1%SPÖ14.7%FPÖ38.5%Greens12.4%NEOS7.0%KPÖ3.9%
RangeAverageElection 2024

Based on the latest poll from each of 6 institutes, June to September 2026.

The individual polls

Figures in percent. Dates as listed by PolitPro.
Institute ÖVP SPÖ FPÖ Greens NEOS KPÖ
OGM10 Sep 20262115381374
Lazarsfeldfor oe24 · 8 Sep 20262114391374
IFDD17 Jul 20262015371375
INSA15 Jul 2026191839874
Market22 Jun 202618173812103
Unique Research18 Jun 20262218361194
Weighted averagePolitPro, 17 Sep 202621.114.738.512.47.03.9
Election 2024official result26.321.128.98.29.12.4

How to read polls

  • Margin of error: with 1,000 respondents it is about ±3 percentage points.
  • Methods differ: online, by phone or mixed.
  • Polls are snapshots. The next scheduled election is in 2029.
  • Percentages do not translate directly into seats. The 4% threshold changes the split.

PolitPro

Public debt

Public debt since 1945: 80 years at a glance

At the end of 1945, the federal government owed the equivalent of €0.2bn. Consistent figures for the whole state only exist from 1970: then it was €5.4bn. At the end of 2025 it was €418.1bn, or 81.5% of economic output.

End of 2025
public debt
€418.1bn
of economic output (GDP)
81.5%
real economic growth
+0.6%
Government at year end
ÖVP–SPÖ–NEOSStocker

Latest figure: at the end of March 2026 debt stood at €431.4bn, or 83.5% of economic output.

Marked years with a shrinking economy: 1975 Recession after the oil price shock · 2009 Financial and economic crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The dashed line shows the EU limit of 60% of economic output.

Governments since 1945

  • 1945 · SPÖ–ÖVP–KPÖ Renner (provisional state government)
  • 1945–1947 · ÖVP–SPÖ–KPÖ Figl I
  • 1947–1966 · ÖVP–SPÖ Figl I–III, Raab I–IV, Gorbach I–II, Klaus I
  • 1966–1970 · ÖVP alone Klaus II
  • 1970–1983 · SPÖ alone Kreisky I–IV
  • 1983–1987 · SPÖ–FPÖ Sinowatz, Vranitzky I
  • 1987–2000 · SPÖ–ÖVP Vranitzky II–V, Klima
  • 2000–2005 · ÖVP–FPÖ Schüssel I–II
  • 2005–2007 · ÖVP–BZÖ Schüssel II
  • 2007–2017 · SPÖ–ÖVP Gusenbauer, Faymann I–II, Kern
  • 2017–2019 · ÖVP–FPÖ Kurz I (from 22 May 2019 ÖVP with non-party experts)
  • 2019–2020 · Expert government Bierlein
  • 2020–2025 · ÖVP–Greens Kurz II, Schallenberg, Nehammer
  • since 2025 · ÖVP–SPÖ–NEOS Stocker

The Chancellor's party is named first; in 1945 the State Chancellor's.

The debt ratio does not depend on governments alone. The economy, inflation, interest rates and crises matter too. Up to 1969 the line shows only federal financial debt according to the central bank. From 1970 it also includes states, municipalities and social security. Up to 1994, earlier definitions apply; the European Commission has aligned the series. Amounts before 1999 are converted from schillings to euros at the fixed rate and are not adjusted for inflation.

All values from 1945 to 2025 as a table
Up to 1969: federal financial debt according to the central bank, no ratio. From 1970: whole state according to the European Commission.
Year% GDP€bnGovernment at year end
1945–0.2ÖVP–SPÖ–KPÖ
1946–1.0ÖVP–SPÖ–KPÖ
1947–0.9ÖVP–SPÖ
1948–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1949–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1950–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1951–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1952–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1953–1.0ÖVP–SPÖ
1954–1.0ÖVP–SPÖ
1955–0.9ÖVP–SPÖ
1956–0.9ÖVP–SPÖ
1957–0.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1958–1.1ÖVP–SPÖ
1959–1.4ÖVP–SPÖ
1960–1.6ÖVP–SPÖ
1961–1.6ÖVP–SPÖ
1962–1.7ÖVP–SPÖ
1963–1.8ÖVP–SPÖ
1964–2.0ÖVP–SPÖ
1965–2.1ÖVP–SPÖ
1966–2.1ÖVP alone
1967–2.5ÖVP alone
1968–2.9ÖVP alone
1969–3.2ÖVP alone
197018.65.4SPÖ alone
197117.55.7SPÖ alone
197216.86.2SPÖ alone
197316.87.0SPÖ alone
197416.98.1SPÖ alone
197523.011.6SPÖ alone
197626.414.7SPÖ alone
197728.717.7SPÖ alone
197832.321.1SPÖ alone
197934.124.4SPÖ alone
198035.627.4SPÖ alone
198137.330.6SPÖ alone
198239.634.9SPÖ alone
198343.941.2SPÖ–FPÖ
198446.445.7SPÖ–FPÖ
198548.350.2SPÖ–FPÖ
198652.657.6SPÖ–FPÖ
198756.464.1SPÖ–ÖVP
198857.668.7SPÖ–ÖVP
198956.972.5SPÖ–ÖVP
199056.577.4SPÖ–ÖVP
199156.783.3SPÖ–ÖVP
199256.687.8SPÖ–ÖVP
199361.298.2SPÖ–ÖVP
199464.4108.3SPÖ–ÖVP
199568.6120.7SPÖ–ÖVP
199668.6124.6SPÖ–ÖVP
199763.9120.0SPÖ–ÖVP
199864.3125.7SPÖ–ÖVP
199967.1136.2SPÖ–ÖVP
200066.6141.5ÖVP–FPÖ
200167.2147.5ÖVP–FPÖ
200267.4151.8ÖVP–FPÖ
200366.4153.1ÖVP–FPÖ
200465.9158.5ÖVP–FPÖ
200569.4175.2ÖVP–BZÖ
200668.2181.3ÖVP–BZÖ
200765.8185.7SPÖ–ÖVP
200869.5202.9SPÖ–ÖVP
200980.8231.2SPÖ–ÖVP
201083.7246.0SPÖ–ÖVP
201183.4256.9SPÖ–ÖVP
201282.9262.6SPÖ–ÖVP
201382.4264.8SPÖ–ÖVP
201485.2281.3SPÖ–ÖVP
201585.6292.9SPÖ–ÖVP
201683.4296.7SPÖ–ÖVP
201779.1290.4ÖVP–FPÖ
201874.6285.8ÖVP–FPÖ
201971.0281.0Expert government
202083.2316.4ÖVP–Greens
202182.4334.7ÖVP–Greens
202278.1351.1ÖVP–Greens
202377.8371.6ÖVP–Greens
202480.0395.1ÖVP–Greens
202581.5418.1ÖVP–SPÖ–NEOS

Sources: Oesterreichische Nationalbank · European Commission, AMECO · Eurostat · Statistics Austria · Wikipedia: governments (German)

The manifestos

9 topics, 5 parties: the demands in their own words

Each party has 4 key demands per topic. They come from each party's 2024 manifesto. Use the filters to hide topics or parties.

01

Tax and levies

All 5 parties want lower taxes on work. They disagree on how to pay for it. SPÖ and Greens want to tax fortunes or inheritances worth millions. ÖVP and FPÖ reject this. The NEOS manifesto does not address it.

ÖVP

  • Cut the entry income-tax rate from 20% to 15%
  • Scrap the 48% tax bracket
  • Cut non-wage labour costs by 0.5 percentage points a year
  • “strictly reject new wealth and inheritance taxes”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • A “millionaires' tax” only on net wealth above €1m
  • Owner-occupied homes worth up to €1.5m stay exempt
  • Inheritance tax “exclusively” on “inheritances worth millions”
  • The tax burden on earned income should “fall noticeably”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Down with non-wage labour costs” (levies employers pay on top of wages)
  • “No new taxes – simple and fair tax law”
  • “No to compulsory renovation, vacancy levies, wealth tax, inheritance and gift tax and higher property tax”
  • A tax “age bonus” for employees aged 60 and over

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “a fair millionaires' tax on inheritances worth millions and on foundations”
  • “to lower taxes on work”
  • Pay the family tax bonus “in full to all families”
  • “tax advantages for commuting by bike”

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • Goal: 10% more take-home pay
  • “Cut non-wage labour costs”
  • Pension account: pay in up to €3,000 a year tax-free
  • “Abolish capital gains tax on share price gains”, with a holding period

Source: 2024 manifesto

02

Work and working hours

SPÖ and Greens want shorter working hours. The SPÖ names the 4-day week, the Greens 35 hours. NEOS reject a statutory 4-day week. The ÖVP wants to reward full-time work. The FPÖ focuses on tax breaks for firms and workers.

ÖVP

  • “Full-time bonus of 1,000 euros”
  • Make overtime tax-free
  • Exempt work in retirement “from levies”
  • “tapered unemployment benefit with a waiting period”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • Pilot: “Austria tests the 4-day week”
  • The goal is “a general 4-day week”
  • A 32-hour week, agreed through employers and unions
  • “Scrap the 60-hour week and the 12-hour day”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Support for companies that offer attractive jobs”
  • “Noticeable relief for micro-companies by cutting corporate tax”
  • “Exempt additional earnings from taxes and levies” for pensioners
  • “No compulsory memberships”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • Cut the working week “gradually to 35 hours”
  • “bring more people into the labour market”
  • “Retraining and further training initiatives” for jobs with a future
  • “bring important value chains back to Europe”

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “we reject a general, legally mandated 4-day week”
  • “More flexible working-time models”
  • “unemployment benefit staggered over time”
  • “End of compulsory chambers” (no compulsory membership)

Source: 2024 manifesto

03

Migration and asylum

The manifestos are far apart here. ÖVP and SPÖ want asylum procedures outside Austria. The FPÖ wants to suspend asylum law through an emergency law. The Greens and NEOS want safe and legal escape routes and easier naturalisation.

ÖVP

  • “Deportation and processing centres abroad”
  • A border protection unit with 2,500 officers
  • “Full social benefits only after 5 years of legal residence in Austria”
  • “temporary suspension of family reunification”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • “Processing centres along the EU's external borders”
  • EU “joint offices for asylum applications”, also in embassies
  • “Reintroduction of the compulsory integration year”
  • Small housing units instead of mass shelters

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Suspend asylum law by emergency law as long as Austria carries an above-average burden”
  • “Stop family reunification”
  • “Benefits in kind instead of cash” for asylum seekers
  • “Consistent remigration to Syria, Afghanistan etc.”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “safe and legal escape routes and human-rights-based border management”
  • “Easier access to citizenship promotes integration”
  • “Integration from day 1”: access to the labour market “during the asylum procedure”
  • An “immigration act” that “simplifies” quotas and the Red-White-Red Card (residence for skilled workers)

Source: 2024 manifesto, full text

NEOS

  • “create safe and legal escape routes to put smuggling gangs out of business”
  • Compulsory “values and orientation courses” for all asylum seekers
  • “remove massive hurdles to citizenship, following European models”
  • “Immigration instead of shutting out”: bring in skilled workers “without red tape”

Source: 2024 manifesto

04

Climate and energy

The ÖVP relies on technology instead of bans. SPÖ and NEOS want binding limits on greenhouse gases. The FPÖ wants to abolish the carbon tax. The Greens focus on soil protection and solar power.

ÖVP

  • “Climate protection with common sense, relying on innovation and progress instead of bans and regression”
  • Commitment “to the Paris climate goals”
  • €1bn for the “green combustion engine” (engines on low-carbon fuel)
  • Develop the EU Green Deal “into a prosperity deal”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • “Carbon neutrality by 2040 is without alternative”
  • “Austria needs a climate protection act”
  • A €20bn transformation fund under the state holding ÖBAG
  • “Commitment to phasing out fossil fuels”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Scrap the CO2 tax and cut the NoVA significantly” (car registration tax)
  • “No to the ban on combustion engines”
  • “Nature and environmental protection instead of ideologised climate protection”
  • “Fossil fuels are part of the overall package”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “convert industry to a climate-neutral circular economy”
  • “simpler approval of solar power installations”
  • “mandatory solar plants on every new commercial car park”
  • Limit land take to “2.5 hectares a day”

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “introduce annual limits on greenhouse gases at every level of decision-making”
  • “Give CO2 a sensible price”
  • “Speed up renovation” of social housing and public buildings
  • “Enable CCS technologies” (storing CO₂ underground)

Source: 2024 manifesto

05

Housing and rent

ÖVP and NEOS want more home ownership and more supply. SPÖ and Greens want to cap rents. The FPÖ calls for a fundamental reform of tenancy law. By law, the 2025 inflation adjustment for many rents did not take place.

ÖVP

  • “Abolish the property transfer tax”
  • Raise home ownership to 60%
  • Against extending the KIM rules (strict mortgage lending rules)
  • “Introduce low-cost loan schemes for young people and families”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • “Freeze all rents until the end of 2026”
  • After that, rents may rise by “a maximum of 2 percent a year”
  • A 3% interest cap on home-building loans up to €300,000
  • A separate zoning category for non-profit housing

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “fundamental reform of the Tenancy Act (MRG)”
  • “Allocate council and subsidised flats primarily to Austrians”
  • “Ensure banks act fairly when adjusting loan rates”
  • “Skim off realised rezoning gains and secure land for social housing”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “introduce statutory maximum rents and ban rent profiteering”
  • “make housing construction climate-neutral by 2040”
  • “a right to climate-friendly heating for tenants”
  • “basic energy security” against price swings

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “Clearing out building codes” and “densification”
  • “Liberalisation of the Tenancy Act”
  • Tax support for young people saving for a home
  • “Push rent-to-buy models”

Source: 2024 manifesto

06

Pensions and welfare

The ÖVP wants people to actually retire later. The SPÖ does not want to raise the statutory retirement age. NEOS want partial pensions. The Greens want a basic child allowance. SPÖ and FPÖ want to end the reduced first pension increase.

ÖVP

  • Bring the actual retirement age closer to the statutory age
  • Exempt pension savings accounts “from tax after a holding period”
  • Grandparents should be able to “use parental leave and childcare benefit”
  • Cut insurance tax on pension fund contributions from 2.5% to 1.5%

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • “the statutory retirement age will not be raised”
  • Pro-rating “permanently removed from the law”
  • Easier access to the heavy-labour pension
  • “implement the basic child allowance”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Fair pension increases”
  • “End pension theft through pro-rating” (only a partial increase in year 1)
  • “Support for occupational and private pension provision”
  • Social benefits: “payment only to citizens”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “reform Austria's pension system”
  • A “basic child allowance” that “bundles all benefits”
  • “a single social insurance – with the same rules for access, calculation and benefits”
  • “full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child”

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “Introduce a cap on pension subsidies”
  • “Make partial pensions possible”
  • “Raise earnings limits in retirement”
  • “introduce automatic pension splitting with opt-out” against old-age poverty among women

Source: 2024 manifesto

07

Health

ÖVP and Greens want more publicly funded doctor posts: 800 for the ÖVP, 500 for the Greens. The SPÖ promises an appointment within 14 days. NEOS want funding from one source. The FPÖ calls for a review of Covid policy.

ÖVP

  • “800 new publicly funded doctor posts”
  • “Duty for doctors to work in Austria after training”
  • €11bn extra for health and care
  • “Expand primary care centres” and “community nurses”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • Appointment service: treatment “within 14 days”
  • “A cap on co-payments for all social insurance services”
  • “Co-payments are not a suitable way to fund care”
  • The “patient billion must finally be paid out”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Full review of Covid policy”
  • “No to any vaccine mandate and to the WHO pandemic treaty”
  • “Right to a private doctor when needed”
  • “Only basic care for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “attract doctors with better conditions in publicly funded practices and hospitals”
  • “Create 500 additional publicly funded doctor posts”
  • “a national action plan for women's health”
  • “free access to contraception and menstrual products”

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “Ensure funding from a single source”
  • “Free choice of health insurer”
  • Insurer should “refund private doctor costs” where it cannot provide adequate care
  • Make “care at home easier”

Source: 2024 manifesto

08

Education and childcare

ÖVP and FPÖ stress German before school starts. SPÖ and NEOS want free all-day schooling and care. The Greens want more all-day schools and a later split into school types.

ÖVP

  • Pre-school language support if German is not good enough
  • “Bring back ability groups and commit to school grades”
  • “Compulsory education as a guarantee at the end of compulsory schooling”
  • Abolish fees for preparation courses for master craftsman exams

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • “all-day and free early education from the age of 1”
  • Expand “free all-day schools”
  • An opportunity index: more money for schools facing more challenges
  • A nursery place entitlement for children with disabilities too

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “German at school and before starting school”
  • “The cross stays in the classroom”
  • “Away with rainbow cult, gender and woke madness”
  • “Childcare 24/7 across the country”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “later separation into school types”
  • “an expansion drive for nurseries and all-day schools”
  • “abolish unfair course fees for master craftsman exams”
  • “climate-related content in both initial and further training” for teachers

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS

  • “Place school psychologists, social workers and school nurses on site”
  • “free optional all-day places in nurseries and schools plus a free, healthy lunch”
  • Align nursery staff pay with teachers' pay
  • Replace 50-minute lessons with “life areas and daily focus topics”

Source: 2024 manifesto

09

Security, EU and democracy

ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ and the Greens commit to neutrality. The Greens also focus on transparency rules. The NEOS manifesto contains no commitment to neutrality and focuses on European defence. On the Sky Shield air defence initiative, ÖVP, Greens and NEOS are in favour and the FPÖ is against.

ÖVP

  • “Austria's military neutrality is legally anchored”
  • “Build up our air defence capacity within Sky Shield”
  • Defence budget of 2% of GDP in the long term
  • “A ban law for Islamist organisations and content”

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ

  • Neutrality is a “central part” of foreign and security policy
  • “Dependence on Russian gas must be reduced as quickly as possible”
  • “Establish a centre to counter extremism and terrorism”
  • “4,000 more police officers”

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ

  • “Austria must remain neutral”
  • “No NATO membership – no participation in ‘Sky Shield’”
  • “Bring powers back from the EU”
  • The people should be able to “remove the government by direct democracy”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens

  • “The security of future generations needs an active neutrality policy”
  • “a lobbying transparency act”
  • “a cooling-off period for former politicians”
  • “a depoliticised, independent head of the prosecution service”

Source: 2024 manifesto · 2024 manifesto, full text

NEOS

  • “United States of Europe”
  • “Abolish conscription – create a professional army”
  • “advance joint European air defence against all threats”
  • “Halve subsidies for parties”

Source: 2024 manifesto

Not in parliament: KPÖ

The KPÖ won 2.39% in 2024 and missed the 4% threshold. In the weighted poll average according to PolitPro it stands at 3.9%. Its 2024 manifesto is no longer available on kpoe.at. That is why no manifesto points are shown here.

PolitPro does not list other parties separately.

Source: BMI · PolitPro

Common ground

23 examples of shared demands

Parties do not disagree on everything. These demands are shared by at least 2 parties. This is a selection, not a full count. The lines do not show closeness between parties.

All 5 parties: lower taxes and levies on work

ÖVP Cut non-wage labour costs by 0.5 points a year · SPÖ Tax on earned income should “fall noticeably” · FPÖ “Down with non-wage labour costs” · Greens “to lower taxes on work” · NEOS “Cut non-wage labour costs”

Every party shares at least 1 demand with every other party.

ÖVP + SPÖ: Commitment to neutrality, Faster doctor appointments via the 1450 hotline
  • Commitment to neutrality ÖVP: “Austria's military neutrality is legally anchored” SPÖ: Neutrality as a “central part”
  • Faster doctor appointments via the 1450 hotline ÖVP: Hotline 1450 “to find appointments” and “reduce waiting times” SPÖ: Appointment service via 1450: treatment “within 14 days”
ÖVP + FPÖ: Keep cash, Lower the age of criminal responsibility, No levies on work in retirement
  • Keep cash FPÖ: “Protect the use of cash in the constitution” ÖVP: “Keep cash and ensure cash supply everywhere”
  • Lower the age of criminal responsibility FPÖ: “Lower the age of criminal responsibility” ÖVP: It should be “lowered to 12 years”
  • No levies on work in retirement FPÖ: “Exempt additional earnings from taxes and levies” ÖVP: Exempt work in retirement “from levies”
ÖVP + Greens: Abolish course fees for master craftsman exams
  • Abolish course fees for master craftsman exams ÖVP: Abolish preparation course costs for “master and qualification exams” Greens: “abolish unfair course fees for master craftsman exams”
ÖVP + NEOS: Unemployment benefit falls over time, Joint European air defence, Tax breaks for long-term investing
  • Unemployment benefit falls over time ÖVP: “tapered unemployment benefit with a waiting period” NEOS: “unemployment benefit staggered over time”
  • Joint European air defence ÖVP: “air defence capacity within Sky Shield” NEOS: “advance joint European air defence”
  • Tax breaks for long-term investing ÖVP: Exempt pension accounts “from tax after a holding period” NEOS: “Abolish capital gains tax on price gains”, with a holding period
SPÖ + FPÖ: End the reduced first pension increase, Preserve neutrality
  • End the reduced first pension increase FPÖ: “End pension theft through pro-rating” SPÖ: Pro-rating “permanently removed from the law”
  • Preserve neutrality FPÖ: “Austria must remain neutral” SPÖ: Neutrality as a “central part”
SPÖ + Greens: Basic child allowance, Shorter working week, Tax on inheritances worth millions
  • Basic child allowance SPÖ: “implement the basic child allowance” Greens: A “basic child allowance” that “bundles all benefits”
  • Shorter working week SPÖ: The goal is “a general 4-day week” Greens: “gradually to 35 hours”
  • Tax on inheritances worth millions SPÖ: “tax only inheritances worth millions” Greens: “millionaires' tax on inheritances worth millions and foundations”
SPÖ + NEOS: Free all-day places, Strengthen the integration year, Binding limits on greenhouse gases
  • Free all-day places SPÖ: Expand “free all-day schools” NEOS: “free optional all-day places in nurseries and schools”
  • Strengthen the integration year SPÖ: “Reintroduce the compulsory integration year” NEOS: “Rethink and fully expand the integration year”
  • Binding limits on greenhouse gases SPÖ: “Austria needs a climate protection act” NEOS: “annual limits on greenhouse gases at every level”
FPÖ + Greens: Produce medicines closer to home again
  • Produce medicines closer to home again FPÖ: “Strengthen Austria as a production site for food, energy, medicines etc.” Greens: “bring important value chains back to Europe”, “especially for medicines”
FPÖ + NEOS: Against compulsory memberships, Tax-free share gains after a holding period
  • Against compulsory memberships FPÖ: “No compulsory memberships” NEOS: “End of compulsory chambers”
  • Tax-free share gains after a holding period FPÖ: “tax-free sale of securities after a holding period” NEOS: “Abolish capital gains tax on price gains”, with a holding period
Greens + NEOS: Cooling-off period for politicians, Make lobbying transparent, Independent head of the prosecution service
  • Cooling-off period for politicians NEOS: “cooling-off period for politicians in state-related jobs” Greens: “a cooling-off period for former politicians”
  • Make lobbying transparent NEOS: “Disclose lobbying” Greens: “a lobbying transparency act”
  • Independent head of the prosecution service NEOS: “Federal prosecution service free of instructions” Greens: “a depoliticised, independent head of the prosecution service”

Contested questions

9 contested questions with quoted evidence

Each row shows where the manifestos stand on a question. Tap a row to see the evidence. “?” means nothing was found in the texts checked. It is not a rejection.

Lower taxes and levies on workÖVP: demands itSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: demands itGreens: demands itNEOS: demands it
  • ÖVP · demands itCut non-wage labour costs by 0.5 points a year Source
  • SPÖ · demands itTax on earned income should “fall noticeably” Source
  • FPÖ · demands it“Down with non-wage labour costs” Source
  • Greens · demands it“to lower taxes on work” Source
  • NEOS · demands it“Cut non-wage labour costs” Source
New tax on fortunes or inheritances worth millionsÖVP: rejects itSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: rejects itGreens: demands itNEOS: no statement found
  • ÖVP · rejects it“strictly reject new wealth and inheritance taxes” Source
  • SPÖ · demands itMillionaires' tax on “net wealth above one million euros” Source
  • FPÖ · rejects it“No to … wealth tax, inheritance and gift tax” Source
  • Greens · demands it“a fair millionaires' tax on inheritances worth millions and foundations” Source
  • NEOS · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
Shorter working weekÖVP: takes another routeSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: no statement foundGreens: demands itNEOS: rejects it
  • ÖVP · takes another routeRelies on a “full-time bonus of 1,000 euros” Source
  • SPÖ · demands itThe goal is “a general 4-day week” Source
  • FPÖ · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
  • Greens · demands it“gradually reduce the working week to 35 hours” Source
  • NEOS · rejects it“we reject a general, legally mandated 4-day week” Source
Suspend rent increases or cap rentsÖVP: takes another routeSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: takes another routeGreens: demands itNEOS: takes another route
  • ÖVP · takes another routeFocuses on ownership: “abolish the property transfer tax” Source
  • SPÖ · demands it“Freeze all rents until the end of 2026” Source
  • FPÖ · takes another routeFocuses on a “fundamental reform of the Tenancy Act (MRG)” Source
  • Greens · demands it“introduce statutory maximum rents” Source
  • NEOS · takes another routeFocuses on “liberalising the Tenancy Act” and more supply Source
Binding limits on greenhouse gasesÖVP: takes another routeSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: takes another routeGreens: demands itNEOS: demands it
  • ÖVP · takes another route“innovation and progress instead of bans” Source
  • SPÖ · demands itA law so that “from 2040 we emit no more CO2 than we can absorb” Source
  • FPÖ · takes another route“Nature and environmental protection instead of ideologised climate protection” Source
  • Greens · demands itClimate framework act with targets for all sectors, such as “a binding CO₂ budget” Source
  • NEOS · demands it“introduce annual limits on greenhouse gases at every level” Source
Full social benefits only for citizens or after a waiting periodÖVP: demands itSPÖ: no statement foundFPÖ: demands itGreens: no statement foundNEOS: no statement found
  • ÖVP · demands it“Full social benefits only after 5 years of legal residence” Source
  • SPÖ · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
  • FPÖ · demands it“Payment only to citizens” Source
  • Greens · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
  • NEOS · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
Temporarily suspend asylum lawÖVP: takes another routeSPÖ: takes another routeFPÖ: demands itGreens: takes another routeNEOS: takes another route
  • ÖVP · takes another route“Deportation and processing centres abroad” Source
  • SPÖ · takes another route“Processing centres along the EU's external borders” Source
  • FPÖ · demands it“Suspend asylum law by emergency law while Austria carries an above-average burden” Source
  • Greens · takes another routeCalls for “safe and legal escape routes” Source
  • NEOS · takes another route“create safe and legal escape routes” and “help on the ground” Source
Commitment to neutralityÖVP: demands itSPÖ: demands itFPÖ: demands itGreens: demands itNEOS: takes another route
  • ÖVP · demands it“Austria's military neutrality is legally anchored” Source
  • SPÖ · demands itNeutrality as a “central part” of foreign policy Source
  • FPÖ · demands it“Austria must remain neutral” Source
  • Greens · demands it“needs an active neutrality policy” Source
  • NEOS · takes another routeNo commitment in the manifesto; it wants to define a role in “joint European defence policy” Source
Joint European air defence such as Sky ShieldÖVP: demands itSPÖ: no statement foundFPÖ: rejects itGreens: demands itNEOS: demands it
  • ÖVP · demands it“Build air defence capacity within Sky Shield” Source
  • SPÖ · no statement foundNo statement found in the manifesto texts checked.
  • FPÖ · rejects it“No participation in ‘Sky Shield’” Source
  • Greens · demands it“ESSI ensures protection, transparency, control and cost-effectiveness” Source
  • NEOS · demands it“advance joint European air defence” Source
demands itrejects ittakes another routeno statement found

Your check

Where do you stand? 9 questions in 2 minutes

Answer the contested questions yourself. After each answer you see where the parties stand according to their manifestos. The check adds nothing up and recommends no party.

Head to head

2 parties side by side, topic by topic

Pick 2 parties. All 9 topics appear next to each other.

Concrete figures

10 figures from 5 manifestos

Many demands stay general. These pledges come with numbers. There are 2 examples per party.

ÖVP800new publicly funded doctor posts

Source: 2024 manifesto

ÖVP2,500officers for a border protection unit

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ€20bntransformation fund for climate and industry

Source: 2024 manifesto

SPÖ4,000additional police officers

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ60+years: tax “age bonus” for employees

Source: 2024 manifesto

FPÖ24/7childcare across the country

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens500additional publicly funded doctor posts

Source: 2024 manifesto

Greens2.5 hadaily cap on land take

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS24 hoursto set up a company online

Source: 2024 manifesto

NEOS€3,000a year tax-free into a pension account

Source: 2024 manifesto

From manifesto to government

What became of the demands in the coalition agreement

Manifestos are intentions. The 2025–2029 coalition agreement shows what ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS agreed. Many points also appeared in other manifestos, including those of the opposition.

Timeline: from election to government

  1. General election

    Result: ÖVP 26.27%, SPÖ 21.14%, FPÖ 28.85%, Greens 8.24%, NEOS 9.14%.

  2. Parliament convenes

    Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) becomes President of the National Council.

  3. NEOS leave the talks

    Talks between ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS end without agreement.

  4. Mandate for Herbert Kickl

    The Federal President asks the FPÖ leader to form a government.

  5. ÖVP–FPÖ talks collapse

    Government talks have now failed for the second time.

  6. Coalition agreement presented

    ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS agree on “Doing the right thing now. For Austria.”

  7. Government sworn in

    Christian Stocker (ÖVP) becomes Chancellor, Andreas Babler (SPÖ) Vice-Chancellor, Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) Foreign Minister.

  8. EU deficit procedure

    The Council of the EU opens an excessive deficit procedure. It cites a 2024 deficit of 4.7% of GDP. According to Eurostat (April 2026) it was 4.6%.

In the coalition agreement – similar demand from

Rent: inflation adjustment suspended in 2025, capped at 1% in 2026 and 2% in 2027SPÖGreens
Family reunification stopped “temporarily with immediate effect”ÖVPFPÖ
“Compulsory integration programme with sanctions for non-compliance”SPÖNEOS
“A federal prosecution service as a collegiate body” (a panel, not one person)GreensNEOS
“Two-pillar basic child allowance” aiming to halve child povertySPÖGreens
“Goal of climate neutrality by 2040” with annual limitsSPÖGreensNEOS
“Abolition of the climate bonus” from 1 January 2026FPÖ
“Pilot projects” on the 4-day weekSPÖ
“Introduction of a partial pension”NEOS
“Participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative”ÖVPGreensNEOS
“Austria clearly commits to neutrality”ÖVPSPÖFPÖGreens

Not in the coalition agreement – demanded by

Tax on fortunes or inheritances worth millionsSPÖGreens
A statutory shorter working week (pilot projects only)SPÖGreens
Abolishing carbon pricingFPÖ

Based on the Federal Chancellery's coalition agreement, 240 pages. “Similar demand” means a comparable demand appeared in the 2024 manifesto.

Coalition agreement (PDF, German)

110seats held by the government
4.6%deficit in 2024 as a share of GDP (Eurostat, April 2026)
over €6.3bnbudget measures for 2025 in the coalition agreement
€8.7bnbudget measures for 2026 in the coalition agreement

FAQ

Questions about parties, polls and government

Which parties sit in the National Council?

5 parties: ÖVP (51 seats), SPÖ (41), FPÖ (57), Greens (16) and NEOS (18). That makes 183 seats. The election was held on 29 September 2024. The KPÖ won 2.39% and missed the 4% threshold.

Who governs Austria in 2026?

ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS, since 3 March 2025. Christian Stocker (ÖVP) is Chancellor, Andreas Babler (SPÖ) Vice-Chancellor. The government holds 110 of 183 seats. The opposition consists of FPÖ and Greens.

How do the parties poll?

Weighted average of polling institutes according to PolitPro, as of 17 September 2026: ÖVP 21.1%, SPÖ 14.7%, FPÖ 38.5%, Greens 12.4%, NEOS 7.0% and KPÖ 3.9%. Polls are snapshots, not forecasts.

What do all 5 parties agree on?

All 5 want lower taxes and levies on work. They disagree on funding. SPÖ and Greens want to tax large fortunes or inheritances; ÖVP and FPÖ reject this.

Where do the manifestos differ most?

On wealth taxes, working hours, climate and asylum. SPÖ and Greens want a shorter working week; NEOS reject a statutory 4-day week. On asylum, positions range from procedures outside Austria (ÖVP, SPÖ) to suspending asylum law by emergency law (FPÖ).

What made it into the coalition agreement?

The 2025–2029 coalition agreement includes a rent brake, a stop to family reunification and a basic child allowance. A tax on fortunes worth millions is missing. Manifestos are intentions, not contracts.

How high is Austria's public debt?

At the end of 2025, public debt stood at €418.1bn. That is 81.5% of economic output. By the end of March 2026 it was €431.4bn. In 1970 the ratio was 18.6%.

Where does the information come from?

From the parties' 2024 manifestos, the official election result, the coalition agreement and official statements. Polls come from PolitPro. All sources are linked below. This page makes no voting recommendation.

Transparency

Method and sources

Choice of parties

All 5 parties in the National Council. Plus the KPÖ, the only other party PolitPro lists separately.

Choice of statements

4 demands per party per topic, the same number for all. Quotes keep their wording.

Checking

The original manifestos were searched. For the FPÖ, the short manifesto and the party's programme pages were used; for the Greens, the short and full manifestos. Media reports are used for dates only.

Limits

Manifestos are long. A missing statement was not found in the texts checked. Manifestos say nothing about what a party does in government.

2024 manifestos (German)

Election result, government and polls

Quotations are translated from the German originals.

As of 17 September 2026. Manifestos and polls change. Please check the linked originals before making decisions.

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