Figure of the Month: 80
More than 80 percent of people in Austria say they feel not at all or only poorly represented politically. This is shown by the latest results of the “So geht’s uns heute” survey, conducted quarterly by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) in cooperation with Statistics Austria. In addition to collecting information on household income and living conditions, the survey regularly explores special topics – this time focusing on political participation.
The results were particularly negative among those who have experienced income loss and among households affected by unemployment. Education also plays a role: among people with only compulsory education, 84% said that their voice is (rather) not heard in political matters, compared to 73% among university graduates.
A positive sign: in their immediate social environments, people perceive their influence more strongly. More than half of respondents reported that they can make a difference through their actions in their place of residence, education, or work. Overall, the findings point to a gap between political representation and personal agency – suggesting that trust in democracy can be strengthened where participation is made tangible.
Claudia Reiter
IHS Researcher
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