List of political parties in Austria

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This article lists political parties in Austria. Austria has a multi-party system. Of the over 700 registered parties, only few are known to a larger public; since the 1980s, four parties have consistently received enough votes to get seats in the national parliament.

1 The parties
2 See also

[edit] The parties

[edit] Current parties in parliament

Alliance for the Future of Austria (Bündnis Zukunft Österreich) (BZÖ) - led by Jörg Haider, the BZÖ is a populist party which broke away from the Freedom Party. It participates in the current government.

Austrian Green Party or "The Greens-The Green Alternative" (Die Grünen - Die Grüne Alternative (Grüne)) - environmentalist party which is represented on national level.

Austrian People's Party (Österreichische Volkspartei) (ÖVP) - more traditional conservative party, the post-war heir of the Christian Social Party. It has alternated in power post-war with the Social Democratic Party.

Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs) (FPÖ) - populist party considered by its critics to be a far-right party. After the 1999 elections, it joined the government but has since lost the support it gained in those elections.

Social Democratic Party of Austria (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs) (SPÖ) - traditional social-democratic party, alternating in power post-war with the People's Party.

[edit] Current parties formerly in parliament

Communist Party of Austria (Kommunistische Partei Österreichs) (KPÖ) - once a relatively significant force in national and provincial level, it declined markedly after the 1950s. However, in 2005 it returned to the provincial legislature in Styria for the first time since 1970.

Liberal Forum (Liberales Forum) (LiF) - a liberal party which broke away from the Freedom Party, it has since lost all seats on a national level.

[edit] Current minor parties

Christian Electoral Community (Christliche Wählergemeinschaft) (CWG)
Independents (Die Unabhängigen)
Initiative2000
Neutral Free Austria (Neutrales Freies Österreich)
No to NATO and EU (Nein zu NATO und EU)
Socialist Left Party (Sozialistische LinksPartei) (SLP)
Social Liberals (Die Sozialliberalen)
Enotna Lista (Unity List, party of the Carinthian Slovenians) (EL)

[edit] Minor historical parties

Democrats (Die Demokraten)

[edit] Historical

Christian Social Party (Christlichsoziale Partei) (CSP)
Country League (Landbund)
Federation of Independents (Verband der Unabhängigen) (VdU)
Greater German People's Party (Großdeutsche Volkspartei) (GDVP)
National Socialist German Workers Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) (Nazi Party)
Patriotic Front (Vaterländische Front) (VF)
Social Democratic Workers Party of Austria (Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei Österreichs) (SDAPÖ, now SPÖ)

[edit] External links of some other minor parties

Yahoo Deutschland Parties directory Austria
Autofahrerpartei official web site (Car Drivers' Party)
Christliche Wählergemeinschaft official web site (Christian Voters'Community)
ArbeiterInnenstandpunkt official web site (Workers' Standpoint Group)
Liste der EU-Opposition official web site (List of the EU-Opposition)
Nationaldemokratischen Partei Österreichs official web site (National Democratic Party of Austria)
Ökologische Linke official web site (Ecological Left)
Österreichische Naturgesetzpartei official web site (Austrian Nautal Law Party)
Partei der Hundefreunde Österreichs official web site (Dog Friends Party of Austria)
Revolutionär Kommunistische Liga official web site (Revolutionary Communist League)

Political parties in Austria
National Council:	Social Democratic Party (68) • People's Party (66) • Green Party (21) • Freedom Party (21) • Alliance for the Future of Austria (7)
Federal Council:	Social Democratic Party (29) • People's Party (26) • Green Party (4) • Freedom Party/Alliance for the Future of Austria (3)¹
European Parliament:	Social Democratic Party (7) • People's Party (6) • Green Party (2) • Hans-Peter Martin's List (1) • Liberal Forum (1)² • Freedom Party (1)
Landtag(e) only:	Communist Party
Minor parties:	Socialist Left Party • Social Liberals • Enotna Lista (Unity List) • Christian Electoral Community
¹ On 4 April 2005, the BZÖ split from the FPÖ and took most of their former MPs with them. However, the two parties still form a single parliamentary group together. ² Karin Resetarits was initially elected as an MEP on the List Hans-Peter Martin, but she later broke ties with him, then joined the ALDE group, and finally joined the Liberal Forum.