Political Parties

Currently there are more than 1,000 registered political parties in Austria.

Multitude of Opinions

The existence of a large number of different political parties is a hallmark of democracy and their importance is due to the role they play in the political decision-making process.

The legal basis for the founding of political parties is the Political Parties Act of 2012. In Austria political parties may be formed freely and the procedure is relatively simple. Groups may found political parties as long as they keep within the limits of constitutional law (cf. the prohibition of National Socialist organisations). The only condition these groups have to meet is that they adopt statutes which are published on the internet. These statutes must be deposited with the Federal Ministry of the Interior in order for the group to be endowed with legal personality.

View of the corridor leading to the historic sitting room

The Financing of Political Parties

The various activities of political parties in the fields of organisation, information and public relations require a committed staff and money. In fact, donations and membership fees are not sufficient to cover the costs. In order to prevent political parties from becoming dependent on investors and lobbies they are subsidised from tax revenue.

Fundamental rules concerning the amount and the allocation of public subsidies as well as the limitation of campaign expenses are laid down in the Political Parties Act of 2012. The Parties’ Subsidies Act 2012 governs the federal government’s financial support in detail. In 2014 the public funding of political parties amounted to about 42.7 million euros.

Financial regulations

Subsidies for parties on a federal level

To calculate the amount of annual public subsidies for political parties the total number of citizens entitled to vote at National Council elections is multiplied by 4.60 euros. Each party represented in the National Council with at least five Members (the minimum number required to form a parliamentary group) receives a basic amount of 218,000 Euro. The balance is distributed among the parties represented in the National Council in proportion to their percentage of votes in the latest National Council elections. Since 2015 these allowances vary with the consumer price index.

Parties not represented in the National Council that received more than 1 percent of valid votes in the National Council elections are entitled in the year of election to subsidies in the amount of 2.50 euros per vote received.
Specific subsidies for political activities in the European Parliament

After European Elections parties represented in the European Parliament are entitled to subsidies. To calculate them, the number of citizens entitled to vote in the European Elections is multiplied by 2 euros. The total amount is distributed among the individual parties in proportion to the votes they have received. Within these limits the maximum amount each party is entitled to receive is the amount it actually spent on exactly specified kinds of campaign advertising.
Campaign advertising costs: refunding abolished, limit established

The separate refunding of campaign advertising costs was abolished in 2012. At the same time a limit to expenditures on advertising was introduced: Between the election reference day and the day of National Council or European elections no party may spend more than 7 million euros. Law defines precisely which expenditures are considered as costs for campaign advertising.
Political education and the party academies

The parties represented in the National Council run their own institutions (academies) to promote political education. These academies receive subsidies as provided for in the "Bundesgesetz über die Förderung politischer Bildungsarbeit und Publizistik" (Federal Act on the Promotion of Political Education and Journalism). In 2014 these subsidies amounted to a total of about 10.5 million euros.
Publication of income and expenditures

It is essential that party financing is made transparent. For this reason the parties are called upon to keep detailed records on the management of their income and expenditures. CPAs audit these records every year and their findings are published in the "Amtsblatt der Wiener Zeitung". In addition, the parties have to publish a statement of accounts indicating the nature of their income and expenditures, which is also audited by CPAs. Donations have to be published in an annex thereto.

Individual donations exceeding 3,500 euros in a calendar year (accounting year) have to be evidenced. Donations by individuals, companies, associations and voluntary professional or economic associations shall be aggregated. Donations exceeding the amount of 50,000 euros shall be immediately reported to the Court of Audit. Every political party shall separately state donations to itself and to its branches that do not have their own legal personality, donations to affiliated organisations and to members of parliament.

Political parties must not accept donations from i.e. corporations under public law, undertakings and institutions in which the public sector holds a share of at least 25% and non-profit organisations. Furthermore anonymous donations amounting to more than 1,000 euros and donations in cash or from foreign natural or legal persons exceeding the amount of 2,500 euros must not be accepted.

Political Parties

Multitude of Opinions

The Financing of Political Parties

Financial regulations

Subsidies for parties on a federal level

Specific subsidies for political activities in the European Parliament

Campaign advertising costs: refunding abolished, limit established

Political education and the party academies

Publication of income and expenditures