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Austria’s main parties lag behind in presidential race

Candidates from Austria's two main parties look set for defeat in presidential elections on April 24, with polls suggesting they are lagging behind the three frontrunners, including a far-right contender.

Published: 19 April 2016 08:13 CEST
Austria's main parties lag behind in presidential race
CHRISTIAN BRUNA/EPA

Should one of the three win, it would be the first time since 1945 that the president did not come from one of the two major parties. Although the role is largely symbolic, the vote is nevertheless a key indicator of the parties' standing.

The ruling coalition, made up of the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative ÖVP, has come under pressure over the last year, showing cracks as Europe grapples with its worst migration crisis since World War II, with support surging for the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ).

Leading the pack ahead of Sunday's race is the ex-leader of the Green party, Alexander van der Bellen, who is projected to reap up to 26 percent of the vote, according to two surveys released Monday by newspapers Kurier and Oesterreich.

But the 72-year-old, who is running as an independent with Green backing, faces a strong rival in the FPÖ's Norbert Hofer, 44, who is now in second place with 24 percent.

Following closely on the heels of both men is the election's only female contender Irmgard Griss, another independent candidate and former Supreme Court president who is seen taking between 20 and 21 percent.

But the ruling parties' candidates are lagging behind. SPÖ's Rudolf Hundstorfer hovers around the 15-percent mark, while the conservative Andreas Khol – who recently sparked controversy by describing Austria as a “victim of National Socialism” – is seen taking just 11 percent.

Based on the latest polls, neither of them will make it past the first round, dashing their hopes of taking over from the incumbent Heinz Fischer, a Social Democrat.

The migration crisis has been a dominant theme in the campaign, with Austria last year taking in one of the EU's highest numbers of asylum-seekers on a pro-capita basis.

Last October, the FPÖ scored its best-ever election showing in Vienna – a SPÖ bastion since the end of World War II – coming second with 32.3 percent.

Some 6.3 million Austrians are eligible to vote in the election. A run-off vote will take place on May 22 if no candidate manages to obtain an absolute majority.

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MIGRANT CRISIS

How a change in the profile of asylum seekers is impacting Austria

The number of asylum applications has dropped in Austria, but changes in the profile of those arriving are creating new demands and new policies.

Published: 22 April 2024 16:05 CEST
How a change in the profile of asylum seekers is impacting Austria

Asylum policy is a controversial topic in Austria, especially in an election year. The far-right has been pushing its anti-immigration agenda to gather support ahead of federal elections later this year.

While the sheer number of refugees can shape an election, differences in who those refugees are and where they come from also create challenges and demands for government action.

The profile of those seeking asylum in Austria has changed compared to recent years.

In the first quarter of 2024, almost a third of asylum applications came from children between the ages of zero and seven, as Austrian media has reported.

Around 53 percent of applicants are minors, and the proportion of women seeking asylum has also risen significantly. However, the overall number of asylum applications during the period fell by 32 percent compared to the same period the year before. 

Whereas 2023 most asylum applications in Austria were from males (only around 24 percent of applications were submitted by women), the country is now experiencing the “family reunification” phenomenon. In other words the wifes and children are following to seek protection.

Asylum applicants are still mostly from Syria and Afghanistan – two nationalities with a high chance of obtaining protection in Austria. Only 30 percent of applications from Syrians were rejected, whereas for Afghans 39 percent were refused.

READ ALSO: Border centres and ‘safe’ states: The EU’s major asylum changes explained

What does the change in profile mean for Austria?

One immediate consequence of the influx of children has already been seen in Vienna, the destination of most refugees: the school system is overwhelmed with the new arrivals, as several Austrian newspapers have reported in the last few weeks.

“This is putting such a strain on the system that high-quality teaching is hardly possible any more,” Thomas Krebs, a union representative, told Kurier. According to the report, around 300 children will arrive in Vienna every month, resulting in a need for 140 classes by the end of the school year. 

The Austrian capital was already overwhelmed by a shortage of teachers and an overflow of schoolchildren—particularly since the war in Ukraine, when 4,000 children were integrated into Vienna’s schools from February 2022.

The kids coming from Syria also need more support than merely German classes: “The Syrian children who come to us from refugee camps are a particular challenge for the system. Many are traumatised and often not even literate in their own language,” Krebs said.

He added that children need to spend more time in kindergarten—to learn “the basics, not just the language.” The education expert also believes it’s necessary to invest more in extracurricular activities, where young people can learn German, acquire behavioural skills that are important for school, and learn how to spend their free time meaningfully.

READ ALSO: What’s the reason behind the drop in Austrian asylum seeker claims?

What is Vienna doing?

Vienna’s Department of Education points out that new teachers are being recruited. In the current academic year, 2,400 teachers have been hired, Kurier reported.

Director of Education Heinrich Himmer said: “We support pupils and face the challenges together so that learning and living together work well. I would like to thank everyone who works so hard in Vienna’s schools. However, the responsibility for integration is an all-Austrian one, where solutions exist at the federal level.”

How does family reunification work?

There is a special process for granting family reunification rights for family members of refugees in Austria. 

According to information from the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, if a foreigner has been granted asylum status in Austria, family members can apply for an entry permit at an Austrian representation authority abroad within three months of this status being granted.

If this is granted, they can travel to Austria to apply for asylum in the family procedure and receive the same protection status as the reference person. If the application is only submitted after three months, they must also provide proof of adequate accommodation, health insurance, and income.

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