The three-party Austrian government has dropped below 50 percent, a sharp reversal following a week shaped by pension cuts, social-security failures, and expense scandals, according to “Heute”.
The fresh IFDD poll of 1,500 people, issued Sunday in Kronen Zeitung, has the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) in 36 percent, ahead of ÖVP-led government, which has 21 percent. The Social Democrats (SPÖ) continue to slide, garnering only 18 percent.
The Greens, led by newly elected parliamentary leader Leonore Gewessler, are gaining momentum at 11 percent, ahead of the stagnating Neos, who remain at 10 percent. The Communists gain a minuscule amount to three percent but remain below the parliamentary threshold.
Criticism in the SPÖ is growing against party leader Andreas Babler, in particular against his supporting the contested pension deal. Party leaders are to meet Monday to work out building opposition. An ÖVP operative mocked pollsters, penning that “Chancellor Christian Stocker ignores surveys, he does what he believes is right.”
These current figures end a week of variable numbers. Another Servus TV poll by OGM had the FPÖ on 32 percent and again continued to provide a narrow majority of 51 percent to the coalition, who were narrowly ahead of the SPÖ.
Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler, who recently returned from a trip to New York, took part in weekend leadership election in Upper Austria. Babler has so far not responded to the pension reform, leaving a third of retirees without a full adjustment for inflation.
The poll underscores turbulent Austrian politics, as discontent among voters is eroding votes from sitting parties and boosting far-right wins.
