Austrian legislative election, 1970

Parliamentary elections were held in Austria on 1 March 1970.^[1] The result was a victory for the Social Democratic Party, which won 81 of the 165 seats to become the largest party for the first time in the Second Republic. Bruno Kreisky of the Social Democrats became Chancellor at the head of a minority government that was tolerated by the Freedom Party of Austria in return for electoral reform that favoured smaller parties.^[2] Voter turnout was 91.8%.^[3] It was the first Socialist-led government since 1920, and the first purely left-wing government in Austrian history.

Early elections under the new system were held the following year, at which the Socialists won an outright majority.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Socialist Party of Austria	2,221,981	48.4	81	+7
Austrian People's Party	2,051,012	44.7	78	–7
Freedom Party of Austria	253,425	5.5	6	0
Communist Party of Austria	44,750	1.0	0	0
Democratic Progressive Party	14,925	0.3	0	0
National Democratic Party	2,631	0.1	0	New
Adolf Glantschnig - For Humanity, Law and Freedom in Austria	237	0.0	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	41,890	–	–	–
Total	4,630,851	100	165	0
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Popular Vote
SPÖ			48.42%
ÖVP			44.69%
FPÖ			5.52%
KPÖ			0.98%
Other			0.37%

References

1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p196 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p188
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p215