SPÖ loses approximately 500,000 voters in Austria

The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) has experienced a significant decline in voter support during the leadership of Andreas Babler. According to an analysis by the OGM research institute, the party's polling numbers have dropped from 23-24 percent in June 2023 to between 13 and 14 percent in recent surveys.

This decline represents a loss of roughly 500,000 voters. The OGM study, which analyzed data from over 100 representative polls, indicates that former SPÖ supporters have migrated to various other political parties. The largest groups of defectors moved to the Greens (145,000) and the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) (110,000). Other parties gaining support include the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) with 65,000, NEOS with 60,000, and the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) with 55,000. Additionally, approximately 65,000 former supporters reportedly no longer intend to vote.

Analyst Johannes Klotz noted that the remaining SPÖ voter base is split between two distinct and difficult-to-reconcile groups: young, left-leaning urban voters and traditional supporters aged 65 and older.