Close race

New poll: This coalition is the most popular

Who will form a coalition with whom? Anything is still possible.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The struggle for a coalition at federal level is in full swing. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has not yet given a mandate to form a government. The party leaders of the FPÖ, ÖVP and SPÖ have until the end of next week to hold talks to explore what kind of cooperation is conceivable. In the meantime, a new survey has revealed which coalition variant Austrians would currently prefer. The result is close. 

In a Gallup poll published on Thursday, the so-called Zuckerl coalition of ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS has the most support with 26%.

Blue-Turquoise in second place
The second most popular option would be a cooperation between the FPÖ with Herbert Kickl and the ÖVP, which 24% support.

The desire for turquoise-red-green (14%) or blue-turquoise without Kickl (12%) is significantly lower.

54% dissatisfied with the election result
More than half of those eligible to vote - 54% to be precise - are dissatisfied with the election result according to the representative online survey conducted at the beginning of October (1000 respondents aged 16 and over).

Majority want Nehammer to remain chancellor
A majority of 51% would like to see the ÖVP under Karl Nehammer in the future government, 41% would like to see the SPÖ with Andreas Babler and 38% the FPÖ with Herbert Kickl.

Who will form a coalition with whom? Anything is still possible.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Junior partners: NEOS more popular than the Greens
Between the two smaller parties, the NEOS are currently much more popular than the Greens for the role of junior partner in a possible three-party coalition: 35% would like to see the NEOS in government, compared to just 19% for the Greens.

ÖVP-SPÖ coalition most unpopular
Accordingly, support for a three-party coalition between the ÖVP-SPÖ-NEOS is also significantly higher at 26% than for a turquoise-red-green variant (14%). Only one tenth would like to see the FPÖ and SPÖ form a coalition government. The least popular option at present would be a "grand coalition" between the ÖVP and SPÖ with only a wafer-thin majority (5 percent).

Alexander Van der Bellen emphasized on Wednesday that at least two of the three larger parties would be needed to form a coalition government. Herbert Kickl (FPÖ), Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Andreas Babler (SPÖ) have until the end of next week. The Federal President will then invite them to hear the outcome of the talks.