Die österreichische Nationalratswahl vom 29. September 2024: FPÖ erstmals stärkste Kraft, doch Türkis-Rot-Pink regiert

The Austrian National Council election on September 29, 2024 marks the endpoint of the longest legislative period since the extension of the term of office in 2007. There have been five elections since then, and it was only the second time that it took place regularly. While the coalition of the ÖVP and the Greens started promisingly in 2020, it soon faced significant disputes and could only reach the finishing line with difficulty – albeit, for Austrian standards, it was still an achievement. Nevertheless, the government's perseverance did not prevent what had been evident in the polls for almost two years: for the first time, the right-wing populist Freedom Party garnered the most votes among the 6.35 million eligible voters in Austria, significantly shifting the balance of power to the far right. The subsequent attempts to form a government failed multiple times, costing the head of government his position and briefly opening the door to the FPÖ for the chancellorship. Ultimately, the Conservatives, Social Democrats, and Liberals formed the first three-party coalition at the federal level in Austria.