26. 07. 10. - 15:00

SPÖ and ÖVP head to head in Stryia

A hot political summer is ahead as Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the People’s Party (ÖVP) go neck-and-neck in Styria where people are set to vote in autumn.

A poll by political analyst Peter Hajek’s Public Opinion Strategies institute found that 38 per cent of Styrians would back the SPÖ if the 26 September ballot took place next Sunday – with exactly the same share revealing support for rivals ÖVP.

The right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) would win eight per cent, up by around 3.5 per cent compared to the 2005 vote, while the Greens would have the backing of seven per cent (2005: 4.7 per cent).

The Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) would drop from 6.4 to five per cent, while the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) would get three per cent, up from 1.7 per cent in the 2005 in which the SPÖ sensationally overtook the ÖVP.

Franz Voves, the first ever Social Democratic governor of the province, made clear earlier this year he would retire if his party fails to keep the top spot. Analysts said the former ice hockey national team star risked more than provincial ÖVP boss Hermann Schützenhöfer as he was more outspoken than his rival.

Left-wing Voves called for higher taxes on assets and a tax on financial transaction, but his campaign suffered a dramatic blow by internal conflicts leaked to public from its Graz department.

Voves, whose branch won 41.7 per cent five years ago, also turned his guns on SPÖ Chancellor Werner Faymann, but the rivals recently conciliated to demonstrate unity ahead of the crucial election expected to have an impact on federal politics.

The Styrian election will be followed by the 10 October Vienna vote in which the SPÖ of Mayor Michael Häupl could suffer losing its absolute majority due to gains by the FPÖ. ÖVP, Greens and FPÖ are set to battle it out for second place in the federal capital.

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