At stake in this election:

• 183 seats in the National Council (Nationalrat)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Thomas KLESTIL
• Head of Government: Chancellor Viktor KLIMA
• Assembly: Austria has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) consisting of the Federal Council (Bundesrat) with 64 seats and the National Council (Nationalrat) with 183 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by direct popular vote to serve a 6-year term.
• In the Federal Council (Bundesrat) 64 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 5-year terms*. In the National Council (Nationalrat) 183 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

* Members of the Bundesrat are chosen by provincial assemblies in proportion to party representation for 5-6 year terms, depending on the life of the particular assembly.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Austrian Social Democratic Party
  • Leader: Viktor KLIMA
  • Seats won in this National Council election: 65
  • Seats won in last National Council election: 71
• Party: Austrian Freedom Party (FPO)
  • Leader: Joerg HAIDER
  • Seats won in this National Council election: 52
  • Seats won in last National Council election: 40
• Party: Austrian People's Party (OVP)
  • Leader: Wolfgang SCHUESSEL
  • Seats won in this National Council election: 52
  • Seats won in last National Council election: 53
• Party: The Greens (GA)
  • Leader: Alexander van der BELLEN
  • Seats won in this National Council election: 14
  • Seats won in last National Council election: 9
• Party: Other Parties
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this National Council election: 0
  • Seats won in last National Council election: N/A

Last Parliamentary election:

• Parliamentary elections were last held on December 17, 1995.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 8,133,611 (July 1998 est.)
• Registered Voters: 5,838,373 ( 1999 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 4,116,423 (1999)

·         Is Austria a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Austria ratified CEDAW: Yes (31 March 1982)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 49 (National Council) (as of 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 23 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Australia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Australia ratified CRPD: Yes (26 Septmember 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 1,220,041 (est.)