Babler Moves to Regain Momentum After Poll Shock
Austria’s Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler is racing to reclaim the initiative after a new poll showed his party trailing the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) by a historic margin.
The survey, commissioned by the Kronen Zeitung and conducted by the Institute for Demography and Data Analysis, found the SPÖ polling at just half the support of the FPÖ. “Never in the history of polling has the SPÖ fallen so low against the FPÖ,” said institute director Christoph Haselmayer.
The data also revealed simmering discontent: three-quarters of Austrians oppose pension cuts, while more than half support FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl’s call for a “fundamental system change.”
Facing mounting pressure, Babler is moving swiftly. At Monday’s meeting of the SPÖ’s national executive, he is expected to be reconfirmed as chairman despite criticism of the pension compromise. He will also set March 7, 2026, as the date for the next party congress. Any challenger would need 1,500 signatures within four weeks, though serious opposition is seen as unlikely.
Babler plans to pivot to policy. Next week he will launch a campaign on affordable living and bring a sweeping housing package before the cabinet. The plan includes strict rent caps — limiting annual increases in regulated markets to one percent in 2026 and two percent in 2027, while capping free-market rents at three percent or half the inflation rate if higher.
Alongside housing reforms, Babler is preparing a tax fraud crackdown designed to raise €1.4 billion by 2029, reinforcing the SPÖ’s theme that “broad shoulders” must carry more of Austria’s financial burden.
Whether these moves can halt the SPÖ’s slide remains uncertain, but Babler is clearly betting on bold action to reset the party’s fortunes.
