Vienna choice details

Containers and other Sprengel specialties

The container classes at MS Kagran caused great discontent - demonstrations were held twice. The anger was so great that it was reflected in the Sprengel result.

(Bild: zVg)

If you look at the Viennese election results under the magnifying glass of the Sprengel results, you will find plenty of outliers and special features, from the influence of container classes to the secretly most powerful Grätzl and its voting behavior to the mystery of the "ghost Sprengel".

The extent to which the National Council elections have changed the political landscape in Vienna can be seen in the results of the districts, which show the voting behavior of mostly just a few blocks. The SPÖ, for example, which in 2019 was still able to achieve an absolute majority in over 30 districts, has now only managed this in two small districts in Favoriten according to the provisional results. However, the SPÖ is at least the only party that still has absolute majorities in Viennese districts.

New blue ward with container classes
The SPÖ has new relative majorities above all in previously green inner-city wards, but has lost some wards in the south to the FPÖ. This cannot be due to voter turnout: The ÖVP is ahead in almost all wards with above-average turnout - with Liesinger Sprengel 40 leading the way with more than 86%. Low voter turnout, on the other hand, helped the SPÖ in particular to hold on to wards.

In Floridsdorf and Donaustadt, the FPÖ mainly won wards from the ÖVP, but also some from the SPÖ, for example in Neukagran. The placement of the controversial container classes in the neighborhood in recent months seems to be no coincidence. Parents and residents protested twice against the accommodation of refugee children in the mobile classes. They felt let down by the red district leader. The result: the FPÖ scored almost 33% in the district, while the SPÖ scored just over 30%.

The FPÖ - local councillor Toni Mahdalik on the left - won a new ward majority with the issue of container classes.

(Bild: Toni Mahdalik)

What is behind the super ward in the city center
The ÖVP can take comfort in the fact that it is ahead in the "most powerful" ward in Vienna: ward two in the inner city. With 1505 eligible voters, it is the most important in the entire city - mainly because it includes many Austrians living abroad. The FPÖ only managed fifth place here, well behind the SPÖ, but also the Greens and Neos.

The mystery behind the ghost wards
According to the statistics, not a single voter was found in some Viennese electoral districts. The solution to the riddle: if only up to 30 votes are cast in one ward, these votes are transferred to another ward for counting so that the secrecy of the ballot is guaranteed in any case. This means that the votes cast there are not lost, but are counted in another ward, where nobody knows the voters and could therefore draw conclusions about the chosen party or a preferential vote cast.

The Neos also contribute to the fact that Vienna's ward map has now become somewhat more colorful. Five years ago, there were no other party winners than the SPÖ, ÖVP, Greens and FPÖ - apart from a tie - but now the Pinks have joined these four parties for the first time: With the ward around Kahlenbergerdorf and another ward on Alsergrund, around Arne Karlsson Park, there are also different relative majorities in Vienna for the first time than ever before.