On July 7, 2008, the Austrian government collapsed after months of struggling between the two major political parties, the Social Democratic Party and the People's Party. Elections are expected to be held in September.
The chancellor, Alfred Gusenbauer, announced that he would not run for reelection. The new Social Democratic Party leader and transport minister, Werner Faymann, will be the Social Democrat candidate.
In September 2008, the right-wing parties made tremendous gains in parliamentary elections.
The Social Democratic Party of Austria won 29.3% of the vote (57 of 183 seats), the Austrian People's Party 26% (51), the Freedom Party of Austria 17.5% (34), the Alliance for the Future of Austria 10.7% (21), the Greens 10.4% (20), and the Liberal Forum 2.1% (0). Turnout was 78.8%.
On October 11, 2008, during a crucial time in Austrian politics, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Future of Austria, Jorg Haider, died in a car crash.
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