Government Largely in the Positive in Trust Index
The new federal government is being welcomed by the electorate with a considerable advance of trust. In the current APA/OGM Trust Index, more than half of the government members are in the positive, which was last the case in 2020 after the inauguration of the turquoise-green government team - before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. According to the survey, the most popular government member is Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ), and most of the other newcomers are also doing well.
Stocker in the Positive, Babler in the Negative
Behind Marterbauer with a balance of +9, Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr from the NEOS (+8), Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (+6), Women's and Science Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (+5), or Social Minister Korinna Schumann with +5 (all SPÖ) also rank well. The highest-ranked State Secretary is Josef Schellhorn (NEOS), and as the highest-ranked non-newcomer, Foreign Minister and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger (+4) can be pleased. Right behind with +3 is Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP).
The situation is less favorable for previous government members, among whom Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig, with a balance of -5, performs the best. However, he was able to improve by ten points compared to August of the previous year. The situation is similar for Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) or Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP). Also ranking in the lower positions are the leaders of the SPÖ and the Greens, Andreas Babler (-19) and Werner Kogler (-13), although they too have seen gains.
Van der Bellen Still Ahead
At the top and bottom of the trust pyramid, little has changed since the last index in August 2024. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen stands at the top with a trust balance of plus 24 (7 points better than last time) and has recovered from his low during the government formation mandate. Close behind him is the Third President of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ).
At the very bottom, with a balance of -43, is FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl, who leads the ranking of the worst trust values ahead of the club leaders of ÖVP and Greens, August Wöginger (-24) and Sigrid Maurer (-22). Kickl is also the only one who lost compared to the last survey, by one point. National Council President Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ), who is attacked by other factions because of his fraternity background, is the worst among the newcomers with -21 points.
OGM head Wolfgang Bachmayer sees the good values partly in connection with the fact that unavoidable reforms and major cuts in view of the budget crisis have so far only been hinted at or downplayed. "The only question is how long this honeymoon with the media and the electorate will last," he said.
Details on the Trust Index
For the trust index, 1,029 representatively selected eligible Austrian voters were surveyed online from April 4 to 9, 2025. The maximum margin of fluctuation is ±3.1 percent. The trust balance is calculated as the difference between the percentage values "Trust" minus "Do not trust".
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.