Public dissatisfaction with Austria’s governing coalition is reaching new heights, with only 5 percent of respondents giving the three-party government a rating of “very good.”
The coalition, formed by the conservative ÖVP, the Social Democratic SPÖ and the liberal NEOS, is facing mounting pressure after months of political tension. A recent Lazarsfeld survey conducted for oe24, based on 1,000 people interviewed on October 19 and 20, paints a sharply critical picture of public opinion, reported by oe24.
According to the poll, 54 percent of Austrians are unhappy with the government’s performance. Of these, 40 percent rated its work as “very bad,” while a further 14 percent described it as “bad.” By contrast, only 20 percent expressed satisfaction: 5 percent said the coalition was doing a “very good” job, and 15 percent judged its work to be “good.”
Much of the frustration appears to be linked to internal turmoil within the SPÖ. The party has been shaken by the gradual political retreat of its leader, Andreas Babler, a development that has raised questions about stability inside one of the coalition’s central partners.
The survey also reveals a clear political divide. Among supporters of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), dissatisfaction is overwhelming: 91 percent reject the government’s work. Yet the coalition has not entirely lost its own base. Among ÖVP voters, 44 percent still approve of the government’s performance, suggesting that loyalty to the chancellor’s party remains stronger than confidence in the coalition as a whole.
For the government, the numbers are a warning. A coalition built on compromise between three very different parties is struggling to convince Austrians that it can deliver stability, clear leadership and tangible results. As internal disputes continue and public patience wears thin, the challenge for the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS is no longer only to govern but to restore trust.
