Trust index in Lower Austria

Hammer: This politician outperforms Mikl-Leitner

Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner's popularity ratings have seen better times. Her place in the sun is gone for the time being.(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

Who would have thought it: Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) is only in second place in the current trust index for Lower Austria. But the representatives of her alliance partner, the FPÖ, are also treading water. Surprisingly, the highest score was achieved by a red politician ...

Mikl-Leitner achieved a trust score of plus 11 points, far worse than her historic best score of plus 31 in 2005, but far better than during her time in the federal government (with a balance of between minus 5 and minus 20).

Her current result puts her in second place in the APA-OGM ranking behind Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig. The SPÖ state councillor for health, social affairs, youth and children has a balance of plus 12.

Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner's popularity ratings have seen better times. Her place in the sun is gone for the time being.(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

SPÖ provincial councillor with top ratings even without corona "push"
Last year, the popular provincial councillor was already ahead of the 60-year-old governor in a survey conducted by the Institute for Public Opinion Research and Data Analysis (IFDD). At the time, experts also attributed her good rating to her successful crisis management during the coronavirus pandemic. Now the pandemic is over - but the values have remained stable!

The other ÖVP state councillors Stephan Pernkopf (balance of +7), Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister (+4) and Ludwig Schleritzko (+1) as well as the president of the state parliament Karl Wilfing (+4) follow in the places of increased trust.

Poor ratings for blue and red state leader
The FPÖ's government partners are at a confidence deficit: Reinhard Teufel (-4), Christoph Luisser (-5), state leader Udo Landbauer (-13) and, bringing up the rear, Susanne Rosenkranz with a minus of 22 points on balance. The heads of the SPÖ, Greens and NEOS, Sven Hergovich (-6), Indra Collini (-11) and Helga Krismer (-19), also have negative confidence ratings.

FPÖ provincial leader and provincial deputy Udo Landbauer(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

SPÖ provincial leader Sven Hergovich(Bild: APA/FLORIAN WIESER)

The SPÖ mayor of St. Pölten, Matthias Stadler, achieved a good trust rating with a trust balance of plus nine points. His Wiener Neustadt counterpart Klaus Schneeberger, on the other hand, is down six points.

ÖVP strives for a positive mood
Despite the moderate results, the ÖVP Lower Austria is striving for a positive mood: "Compared to all other party leaders, Mikl-Leitner is the party leader with the highest level of trust in the state by far," emphasizes state managing director Matthias Zauner.

Compared to all other party leaders, Johanna Mikl-Leitner is the party leader with the highest level of trust in the province.

Matthias Zauner, Landesgeschäftsführer der ÖVP Niederösterreich

Black sideswipe at the federal government
According to him, it is above all federal politics that is required to reverse the trend. This must deliver in the fight for the prosperity of citizens, for the competitiveness of businesses and against radical Islam. 

The survey (823 representatively selected Lower Austrians eligible to vote between 2 and 4 December) was conducted on the occasion of the local council elections scheduled for 26 January 2025. For the index, the balance of "have confidence" and "have no confidence" was calculated.