Upper Austrian state election, 2009
The state elections in Upper Austria in 2009 was held on 27 September 2009. During the elections occurred in addition to the already represented in the Upper Austrian provincial parliament parties, the Austrian People's Party ( ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria ( SPÖ), the Green Party of Upper Austria ( Green ) and the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ ) and the Alliance for the Future of Austria ( AAF ), Christians (DC) and the Communist Party of Austria ( KPO ) to. According to the preliminary results, the ÖVP was able to expand their majority in the state elections and achieve a majority in the government in addition to the half of the parliamentary seats. The Social Democratic Party suffered heavy casualties and lost half their seats of government. While the FPÖ reached almost as big election winner a doubling of its voting share and a place in the government, the Greens fell back behind the FPÖ, although they were able to maintain their share of the vote and the seat of government. The AAF failed, however, again a place in a parliament in which the Communist Party and Christians failed.
- 2.1 Upper Austrian People's Party - List Governor Dr. Josef Pühringer (ÖVP )
- 2.2 Social Democratic Party of Upper Austria
- 2.3 The Greens Upper Austria - The Green Alternative
- 2.4 Freedom Party of Upper Austria
- 2.5 Alliance for Austria's Future - List Uschi Haubner
- 2.6 Communist Party of Upper Austria
- 2.7 The Christians Upper Austria
- 2.8 Not permitted: National People's Party
- 3.1 Final election results
- 3.2 Federal
Requirements
Starting position
From the state election, 2003, the FPÖ had emerged as a big loser. She had lost 12.2 percent of the vote slipped 8.4% to fourth place. Most benefited the SPÖ from the losses of the FPÖ. You could raise with gains of 11.3 % to 38.3 % its share of votes and achieved the best election result in state elections since 1979. The Greens emerged as the winners of the election out, taking their share of the vote from 5.8% to 9 were 1% increase. The ÖVP remained virtually unchanged and recorded a gain of 0.7 % to 43.4 %. While the ÖVP held her mandate as of 25 parliamentary seats, the Social Democratic Party joined by the gain of 6 seats with 22 seats almost on the Landtag for the ÖVP. The FPÖ slipped from 12 to 4 seats and were overtaken by the Greens, who could be increased from 3 to 5 seats.
After the election, the government seats were allocated according to the proportional representation system. The ÖVP presented in the new government again four of the nine members of the government, the Social Democratic Party was able to win their previous two seats of government a. While the Greens for the first time moved into the state government, the FPÖ lost its two seats of government, and flew from the state government. ÖVP and the Greens adopted further to a labor agreement that is entered as the first " black - green " coalition of Austria at a higher level in history. Despite Labour Convention meant the end for 99.33 % of the decisions in the state government unanimously.
Suffrage
The Upper Austrian suffrage Amendment Act 2009, a comprehensive electoral reform through the parliament was decided on 29 January 2009. The electoral reform encompassed thereby lowering the voting age, the introduction of postal voting and changes in the counting of votes. Become necessary, was the electoral reform as a result of the conducted in 2007, the Federal Constitution Act Amendment ( Federal Law Gazette I No. 27 /2007) and the electoral Law Amendment Act ( Federal Law Gazette I No. 28 /2007). So as decided at the federal level, lowering the voting age due to the homogeneity bid had also been enshrined in state and local voting rights and the rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution absentee ballot be implemented by implementing measures at the country level. The Upper Austrian suffrage Amendment Act 2009, the active voting age was lowered to 16 years, and to stand for election to the age, 18 years in a row. In addition, the minimum age was lowered to 16 years, and for the function of electoral witnesses, members of the electoral authority or person of trust in the electoral authority. The previous option of voting by means of a choice card is replaced with possibility of choice by absentee ballot. This can be done by mail and in the Upper Austrian state election voting for the first time. Another change concerned the calculation of the provisional election results on election day and the determination of the final election result.
Voters
Following the lowering of the voting age as a result of the election Law Amendment Act, 2009, all those men and women had to hold elective office, who had at least completed 16 years of age on election day and owned on the record date, June 5, 2009 Austrian citizenship in the regional elections of 2009. In addition, the voters had to have their main residence in Upper Austria and were allowed to be not disqualified from voting. An exclusion from the right to vote is at a final conviction by a domestic court for one or more committed with intent offenses to more than one year imprisonment. By lowering the voting age, regional population dynamics, increasing life expectancy and naturalizations since the last state election the number of voters increased compared to the state election in 2003 by about 66,900 to 1,086,327 persons, of which 559 872 women and 526 455 men. Of which could take under 24 -year-old for the first time at a state election about 132,000 voters, the 34,000 first-time voters aged 16 to 17 years benefited from the lowering of the voting age. The age of the electorate was on average 48 years.
The right to vote had held all eligible voters, the latest on the day of the election 18 years completed, whereby the voting age for the right to vote of 19 was reduced to 18 years by the electoral reform. For a candidate, the campaigning parties here had to submit for each constituency nomination declarations of support by at least 80 electors of the constituency. Thus, at least 400 statements of support were necessary for a statewide candidate in all five constituencies.
Ballot
The decision of the Upper Austrian Landtag of 29 January 2009, all parties agreed represented in Parliament, the Landtag, municipal and mayor (s) elections together on Sunday, September 27, 2009 to perform. The election was conducted in the five constituencies and around Linz, Innviertel, Hausruckviertel, Traun quarter and Upper Austria.
Choice advertiser parties (list name )
Upper Austrian People's Party - List Governor Dr. Josef Pühringer (ÖVP )
The ÖVP came for the third time with Josef Pühringerhütte as the leading candidate to, the People's Party continued the incumbent provincial governor the center of their election campaign. So not only the Name list of the ÖVP contained the name of the Regional Governor, on all posters Pühringerhütte was present. While Pühringerhütte was "Because he's our governor ," presented with the slogan on the second series of posters lacked the ÖVP logo on the posters shown. The poster series sat thus seamlessly to the summer campaign of the ÖVP had been advertised in the Pühringerhütte with the slogan " Because he loves Upper Austria ". To dial destination of the ÖVP to Pühringerhütte expressed that he was " one of four forwards who " wanted to, so at least 40 % of the vote.
Thematically presented the ÖVP their " future program " "Upper Austria is doing more " in the center of the campaign. As a primary objective, the ÖVP chose this the realization of full employment, which is less than four percent unemployment in Upper Austria. Furthermore, the ÖVP postulated the implementation of further business relocations, the development of transport networks, increasing the flexibility of the child care and safety in the center of their program. They also called for a commitment to the regional hospital care, a training campaign for nursing and investment in education and science. Consequently, the ÖVP up posters flanking the campaign for Governor Pühringer posters with themes jobs, families, security, education and free kindergarten.
Social Democratic Party of Upper Austria
The current State Deputy Governor Erich Haider joined for the second time as a top candidate for the Social Democratic Party.
The Greens Upper Austria - The Green Alternative
For the Greens came back Rudi Anschober, the only member of the Greens in the state government, as the leading candidate to.
Freedom Party of Upper Austria
Manfred Haimbuchner ran for the first time for the FPÖ. The previous top candidate Lutz Weinzinger no longer went to.
Alliance for Austria's Future - List Uschi Haubner
Ursula Haubner occurred on 27 September for the AAF. This is the first state elections in Upper Austria since the emergence of the AAF.
Communist Party of Upper Austria
With top candidate Leo Furtlehner the Communist Party emerged as the " super red variant " in the state elections.
The Christians Upper Austria
The Christians came with top candidate and state chairwoman Martha Zethofer. Also for this party, it was the first attempt to be elected to Parliament.
Not permitted: National People's Party
Due to alleged contacts with the Nazi scene ruled by the candidacy of the National People's Party (NVP ) is a lively discussion. The decision on admission to the election by the country's electoral authority fell on August 13, 2009, with the candidacy of NVP in the constituency and around Linz was rejected unanimously by the State Election Commission. The NVP was not allowed to compete for election because of dubious content in the election program. In addition, the state election authority has announced a complaint against the NVP for violating the prohibition law.
Election result
Final election results
The voter turnout was 80.34 % higher than in the regional elections in 2003 ( with 78.65 %), but not quite as high as the national election in 2008 ( 81.99 %). In only a week earlier discharged state elections in Vorarlberg 2009, comparatively only 67.41 % of voters participated.
There are therefore all previously represented parties (ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ and Greens) continue to be represented in Parliament. AAF, KPO and DC not made their way into the parliament. However, there were significant shifts mandate. The greatest losses suffered, the SPÖ, but it remains the second largest party in Upper Austria.
Bundesrat
The result of the state election has an impact on the composition of the Austrian Federal Council is represented in the Upper Austria due to its population, with eleven mandatary. Because of the election results and their loss of votes, the Upper Austrian SPÖ lost two of their previous five Federal seats. The mandate migrates to the ÖVP and FPÖ. Following the establishment of the State Parliament, the Upper Austrian Federal mandates are distributed as follows among the groups: ÖVP 6 ( 1 ), 3 SPO ( -2) Green 1 (± 0), Freedom Party 1 ( 1).