1983 Austrian legislative election

1983 Austrian legislative election

24 April 1983

All 183 seats in the National Council
92 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Bruno Kreisky Alois Mock Norbert Steger
Party SPÖ ÖVP FPÖ
Last election 51.03%, 95 seats 41.90%, 77 seats 6.06%, 11 seats
Seats won 90 81 12
Seat change 5 4 1
Popular vote 2,312,529 2,097,808 241,789
Percentage 47.65% 43.22% 4.98%
Swing 3.38 pp 1.32 pp 1.08 pp

Results by state

Chancellor before election

Bruno Kreisky
SPÖ

Elected Chancellor

Fred Sinowatz
SPÖ

Parliamentary elections were held in Austria on 24 April 1983. The result saw the Socialist Party win 90 of 183 seats, enough to secure them a fifth term in government, albeit without the absolute majority the party had held since 1971. This prompted Bruno Kreisky to stand down as SPÖ leader and Chancellor in favour of Fred Sinowatz. The SPÖ subsequently formed a coalition with the Freedom Party of Austria, which was still a liberal party at the time. Voter turnout was 93%.