The federal presidential election in Austria has been set on Oct. 9, 2022

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The date for the federal presidential election has been set: Austria will elect its new head of state on Oct. 9.

BP election 2022 to be nominated for Oct. 9
“Every six years, Austrians elect their head of state, the Federal President. The federal government is responsible for planning and conducting the election, which has now settled on an election date of October 9,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) told APA in a written statement. “I wish the candidates a good and fair election campaign and all the best.”

Kogler urges a fair election campaign
Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) urged fairness: “As Vice-Chancellor, I would like to appeal to the candidates to conduct a respectful and fair election campaign. And I would like to call on voters to use their right to vote. Because how many cast their vote makes a difference to the strength of democracy and the Republic.”

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), whose department is responsible for the election, said, “the Interior Ministry as the federal election authority and its experts have already started preparations for holding the election.”

Various regulations for the date of the federal presidential election
The announcement of the election of the Federal President by decree is a matter for the Federal Government. The election must be advertised in agreement with the Main Committee of the National Council, and the date must be published in the Federal Law Gazette. The deadline is usually the 61st day before election day. Election day must be a Sunday or public holiday, and any 2nd ballot must take place four weeks after the 1st ballot.

Not all candidates for the BP election are known yet
Not all candidates for the fall ballot are known yet. Incumbent Alexander Van der Bellen was the first promising candidate to announce his candidacy on May 22. The former Green Party leader is supported by the Greens but also by the SPÖ and the NEOS. Although the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) is not making an election recommendation, it is not sending its candidate into the race. It wishes the incumbent “all the best” for his candidacy.

FPÖ wants to put up its candidate for the Hofburg
Of the parliamentary parties, only the FPÖ will thus be putting forward its candidate for the Hofburg. The Freedom Party, however, has not yet decided on personnel. In recent weeks, however, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl has repeatedly mentioned FPÖ constitutional spokeswoman and National Council member Susanne Fürst as a presidential candidate. Third National Council President Norbert Hofer, who lost the 2016 election marathon to Van der Bellen, also canceled some time ago.

In addition, several initiatives and individuals not represented in parliament have expressed interest in running, most notably Beer Party leader Dominik Wlazny aka “Marco Pogo” and former FPÖ and BZÖ politician Gerald Grosz.