Austria - Politics
This election will determine the office of the presidency for the Republic of Austria. It was expected by some sources to be held by April 2022, while other sources report that it would be held in the autumn, and others report simply "date not set".
The Republic of Austria is a parliamentary democracy with constitutional power shared between a popularly elected president and a bicameral parliament (Federal Assembly). The multiparty parliament and the coalition government it elects exercise most day-to-day governmental powers. The country held early parliamentary elections in 2019 and presidential elections in 2016. There were no reports of serious abuse or irregularities in either election, and credible observers considered both to be free and fair.
No laws limit the participation of women or members of minority groups in the political process, and they did participate. Women’s participation in government at the national level increased due to the September 2019 federal elections. There are 72 female members of parliament out of 183, compared with only 63 during the 2017-2019 legislative term.
An independent press, an effective judiciary, and a functioning democratic political system combined to promote freedom of expression including for the press. The law prohibits incitement, insult, or contempt against a group because of its members’ race, nationality, religion, or ethnicity if the statement violates human dignity, and imposes criminal penalties for violations. The law prohibits public denial, belittlement, approval, or justification of the Nazi genocide or other Nazi crimes against humanity in print media, broadcast media, the publication of books, and online newspapers or journals and provides criminal penalties for violations. The law also prohibits disparagement of religious teachings in public. The government strictly enforced these laws.
Libel, slander, defamation, and denouncement of religious teachings (blasphemy) are criminal offenses and are enforced. NGOs reported that strict libel and slander laws created conditions that discouraged reporting of governmental abuse. For example, many observers believed the ability and willingness of police to sue for libel or slander discouraged individuals from reporting police abuses.
The Federal President of the Republic of Austria is elected by secret ballot in a free and fair popular general election to a term of six years. The term begins when the President is inaugurated and takes office. The Federal President is the chief diplomat in Austria – essentially the head of state of the Austrian Republic. The president is responsible for protecting democracy in Austria, providing moral support to the country and assisting in the integration of minorities into the political process, as well as swearing in and dismissing parliament. To become the president of Austria, candidates should have an extensive political background and have a non-partisan (unbiased) approach to politics.
Members of ruling dynasties or such families that have reigned in the past, and individuals who have already served two consecutive terms as Federal President, cannot be elected. This is to avoid having a permanent president or elected monarch. The federal presidential election will take place in 2022 as Alexander Van der Bellen (who represents the Green Party) reaches the end of his six-year term as president. Van der Bellen is yet to announce if he will stand for a second term, although he is tipped as a strong contender if he does decide to run again.
If only one candidate runs for office, the election takes the form of a referendum. This regulation, which was introduced in 1982, is primarily intended to allow an incumbent, universally acclaimed Federal President to serve a second term without an election campaign. So far, every incumbent President who has stood for a second term has been re-elected – Adolf Schärf in 1963, Franz Jonas in 1971, Rudolf Kirchschläger in 1980 and Thomas Klestil in 1998.
There is some support within the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) that van der Bellen should be cleared for re-election without an opposing candidate, to offer the country some stability. There are rumours that Norbert Hofer, former leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), could run for Federal President again (he was defeated by Van der Bellen in 2016). Hofer recently told Die Presse that if he does decide to become a candidate he will make the announcement nearer the time of the autumn election.
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