1970 Austrian legislative election

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1970 Austrian legislative election

← 1966 1 March 1970 1971 →

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
Last election 42.56%, 74 seats 48.35%, 85 seats 5.35%, 6 seats
Seats won 81 78 6
Seat change Increase 7 Decrease 7 Steady
Popular vote 2,221,981 2,051,012 253,425
Percentage 48.42% 44.69% 5.52%
Swing Increase5.86pp Decrease3.66pp Increase0.17pp

Results of the election, showing seats won by constituency and nationwide. Constituencies are shaded according to the first-place party.

Chancellor before election

Josef Klaus
ÖVP

Elected Chancellor

Bruno Kreisky
SPÖ

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, just three seats short of an absolut majority. After lengthy coalition negotiations with the ÖVP, the SPÖ formed a minority government with the support of the FPÖ. It is speculated that Bruno Kreisky had this goal from the start and only negotiated with the ÖVP for appearances. The price for the FPÖ's support was an electoral law change that disadvantaged smaller parties like the FPÖ less and was associated with an increase in the number of mandates in the National Council. Bruno Kreisky became Chancellor and would remain so until 1983. The Kreisky I Federal Government commenced its work on April 21, 1970. Josef Klaus stepped down as ÖVP chairman in 1970, and his deputy Hermann Withalm succeeded him.[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.

Early elections under the new system were held the following year, at which the Socialists won an outright majority.

Results[edit]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Socialist Party of Austria2,221,98148.4281+7
Austrian People's Party2,051,01244.6978–7
Freedom Party of Austria253,4255.5260
Communist Party of Austria44,7500.9800
Democratic Progressive Party14,9250.3300
National Democratic Party2,6310.060New
Adolf Glantschnig – For Humanity, Law and Freedom in Austria2370.010New
Total4,588,961100.001650
Valid votes4,588,96199.10
Invalid/blank votes41,8900.90
Total votes4,630,851100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,045,84191.78
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References[edit]

  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