1970 Austrian legislative election

Parliamentary elections were held in Austria on 1 March 1970.[1] The result was a victory for the Socialist Party, which won 81 of the 165 seats to become the largest party for the first time in the Second Republic. With the SPÖ two seats short of a majority, SPÖ leader Bruno Kreisky became Chancellor at the head of a minority government that was tolerated by the Freedom Party of Austria in return for electoral reforms that benefitted smaller parties by increasing the proportionality of votes and seats.[2] Voter turnout was 91.8%.[3] It was the first Socialist-led government since 1920, and the first purely left-wing government in Austrian history. The SPÖ would lead the government for the next 29 years.

1970 Austrian legislative election
1 March 1970
165 seats in the National Council of Austria
83 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Bruno Kreisky Josef Klaus Friedrich Peter
Party SPÖ ÖVP FPÖ
Leader since 1967 1963 1958
Last election 74 seats, 42.56% 85 seats, 48.35% 6 seats, 5.35%
Seats won 81 78 6
Seat change 7 7
Popular vote 2,221,981 2,051,012 253,425
Percentage 48.42% 44.69% 5.52%
Swing 5.86% 3.66% 0.17%
Chancellor before election

Josef Klaus
ÖVP

 Elected Chancellor

Bruno Kreisky
SPÖ

This article is part of a series on the
Politics of Austria
Constitution
Executive
Legislature

  • Upper house of parliament

  • Joint session of both houses
Judiciary
  • President:
    Rudolf Thienel
Elections
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Political parties
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Early elections under the new system were held the following year, at which the Socialists won an outright majority.

Results
Party Votes % Seats +/–
Socialist Party of Austria2,221,98148.481+7
Austrian People's Party2,051,01244.778–7
Freedom Party of Austria253,4255.560
Communist Party of Austria44,7501.000
Democratic Progressive Party14,9250.300
National Democratic Party2,6310.10New
Adolf Glantschnig - For Humanity, Law and Freedom in Austria2370.00New
Invalid/blank votes41,890–––
Total4,630,8511001650
Source: Nohlen & Stöver
Popular vote
SPÖ
 
 48.42%
ÖVP
 
 44.69%
FPÖ
 
 5.52%
KPÖ
 
 0.98%
Other
 
 0.37%
Parliamentary seats
SPÖ
 
 49.09%
ÖVP
 
 47.27%
FPÖ
 
 3.64%

References
  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p196 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p188
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, p215


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