Democracy and Elections

Who is entitled to vote? How are elections run, and what is the difference between party-list elections and majority (first-past-the-post) elections? Here is some basic information about elections in Austria.

Electoral System

Have you ever wondered what it means to have universal, equal, direct, personal, secret, and free elections? A strong and thriving electoral system is the foundation of any functioning democracy.

How Parliaments are formed

Parliament is formed afresh after each National Council election. These are held every five years at the latest. Sometimes elections take place sooner than that, for instance when government parties terminate their cooperation because of insurmountable differences of opinion. It is a principle of democracy that Parliament should represent the interests of the largest possible number of citizens. This is why elections have to take place under very stringent and detailed rules.