"Trend reversal"

Fewer Austrians want to leave the EU

The EU Parliament in Strasbourg(Bild: Karl Grammer)

Two months before the European elections, fewer Austrians want to leave the EU. While 29% wanted to do so at the beginning of the year, the figure is now 23%, according to a recent survey by the Austrian Society for European Politics (ÖGfE).

ÖGfE Secretary General Paul Schmidt speaks of a "trend reversal." 65 percent agree with the survey after EU membership. According to Schmidt, declining migration figures, flattening inflation and the start of an intensive debate on Europe are having an effect here. Since 1995, an average of 70% of respondents have been in favor of Austria's EU membership.

Majority plan to vote
The current survey also asked how willing respondents were to vote in the European elections. According to the results, 54% "definitely" intend to do so and a further 25% "probably". "There is a chance of a relatively high voter turnout in the European elections (...)", commented Schmidt. Voting motives are, for example, that people want to make use of their democratic rights and that they see the European Parliament as an important institution.

Only five percent, on the other hand, stated that they would definitely not vote. The motives here are, for example, that Austria's government has no say in the EU according to the respondents, or that their own vote does not change anything.

The fact that the European Parliament is directly elected by citizens in all member states is important to eight out of ten respondents. Only slightly more than one in ten (13%) do not think this is important. 

Home affairs policy should not be indifferent to the outcome of the European elections.

Paul Schmidt, ÖGfE-Generalsekretär

Foretaste of National Council elections?
Another result is that almost two out of three respondents stated that they would vote for the same party on June 9 that they would vote for in the National Council elections. "Domestic politics should therefore not be indifferent to the outcome of the European elections," said Schmidt.

The survey was conducted by the market institute in March. 1000 people across Austria took part online. The maximum statistical fluctuation margin is 3.16 percent.