Electoral System Changes in Austria – an Assessment of the Political Consequences

Abstract

The analysis developed in this paper addresses the changes that took place over the years in the Austrian election and parliamentary scene following the succession of changes in the election law. The paper discusses the amendments to the National Council Election Regulation that came into force in 1970, 1992, and 2007. Using qualitative and quantitative parameters, it shows the transformations the federal party system was subjected to, exploring the political consequences of the voting system change. The paper focuses on assessing the changes that occurred in the election and parliamentary scene after 2007, when 16-year-olds were granted voting rights and postal voting was introduced. The reflections presented in this paper aim to provide an insight into whether amending the National Council Election Regulation put a stop to the falling voter turnout, gauge what the election participation of the youngest electorate was, identify what political decisions teenage voters made and examine what changed in the Austrian party system.