Austria’s three-way coalition—made up of the centrist ÖVP, the social-democratic SPÖ, and liberal NEOS party—was perhaps never likely to be much loved, given that its formation excluded the winner of the last general election, the right-wing populist FPÖ.
It now appears to be more unpopular than ever.
National daily Exxpress reported on Monday that “the government’s crisis is escalating,” in part due to infighting within the three separate parties. Party officials have been arguing among themselves over policy positions, and, inevitably, disputes over leadership.
All of this has prompted a “significant drop” in approval ratings.
But at the same time, support for the FPÖ has surged. This is seen as evidence that the populist party’s firm stance on mass deportation and national identity is resonating with a growing portion of the electorate.
The FPÖ has branded the government “the loser traffic light coalition” and has been especially critical of the way it treats Austrian pensioners, pointing to “rising costs, higher co-payments, and the dismantling of support measures [that] hit exactly those who built our country.”
Journalist Laura Sachslehner on Monday said that on this and other issues, the government is unable to act due to “constant infighting.”
Are any decisions actually being made anymore, or is it just a free-for-all?
One election forecaster suggests that if Austrians went to the polls today, the FPÖ would pick up 74 seats in Parliament, well ahead of the ÖVP, which would finish second with 37.
🇦🇹 Austria | Legislative Election Nowcast update — April 21, 2026
⬛ FPÖ: 38% | 74 (+1)
🟦 ÖVP: 19% | 37 (-4)
🟥 SPÖ: 19% | 37 (+1)
🟩 GRN: 11% | 21 (+3)
🟪 NEOS: 7% | 14 (-1)
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🟫 KPÖ: 3.6% | 0+/- vs. March 22 pic.twitter.com/FhhpFIdXQW
— Nowcast EU 🗳️ (@Nowcast_EU) April 21, 2026