Van der Bellen Remains Trust Winner Ahead of All Party Leaders

Survey Methodology

The trust score is calculated as the difference between the percentages of "trust" minus "do not trust." Using this methodology, Van der Bellen clearly leads the field: he remains unchanged at a score of plus 23, making him the only person in the top group whose value has remained stable since the previous survey. The federal president thus continues to enjoy the greatest trust among the surveyed politicians.

Behind Van der Bellen follows the Third President of the National Council Doris Bures with a score of plus 15, having lost three points compared to the April survey. Bures thus remains clearly in positive territory and is the highest-ranked SPÖ representative in the ranking. Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) comes in at a total of minus 13.

A markedly different picture emerges for the party leaders. NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger loses slightly compared to the previous survey, but still ranks ahead of Green party leader Leonore Gewessler, who occupies third place among party chairs with a score of minus 23. SPÖ leader and Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler follows with a score of minus 35, narrowly ahead of FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, who takes last place among party leaders at minus 36.

Party Leaders in Negative Territory

It is noteworthy that Kickl is the only party leader to record an increase in trust: his score rose by six points. Nevertheless, he remains at minus 36, the lowest among party chairs. The dynamic shows that a gain alone is not enough to make up the gap to the other party leaders.

The picture among government members is mixed. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) is the only government member with a positive score: he comes in at plus 11, thereby maintaining his position as the anchor of trust within the federal government. Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) is in the middle of the minister ranks at minus 13, while Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) lost six points following the discussion about heat in schools and now stands at minus 15.

Marterbauer as the Government's Anchor of Trust

At the bottom of the ranking is State Secretary Josef Schellhorn with a score of minus 38. He has thus taken over the wooden spoon from Kickl, who, despite his gain of six points, continues to improve and now holds the second-to-last place. President of the National Council Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) also comes in at minus 36, tying with Kickl in the lower third of the ranking.

The developments within the SPÖ are particularly striking. While Babler posts the worst value among the SPÖ at minus 35, the SPÖ government members around Marterbauer and Bures manage to score comparatively well. This discrepancy between the party leadership and government representatives points to a persistent trust gap between the SPÖ's base and the party leadership.

Discrepancy within the SPÖ

For the NEOS, the picture is nuanced: Party leader Meinl-Reisinger lost slightly, while Education Minister Wiederkehr also had to give up six points after heated debates about summer school and the heat burden in schools. Both NEOS representatives are thus in negative territory, with Meinl-Reisinger still clearly placed ahead of Gewessler and Babler.

The Greens remain in one of the lower places in the party leader ranking with Gewessler. Her score of minus 23 is better than those of Babler and Kickl, but markedly worse than Meinl-Reisinger's. The gap to the NEOS leader is around 13 score points and reflects the difficult starting position of the Greens following their departure from the federal government.

It is notable that the only two individuals with a clearly positive score – Van der Bellen and Bures – do not belong to the federal government. This constellation underscores the traditional tendency for non-partisan offices and the head of state to enjoy higher trust among the population than day-to-day political actors. The internal government trust hierarchy, by contrast, is led by Marterbauer, the only government member to achieve a positive score.

Non-Partisan Offices Enjoy More Trust

Overall, the survey shows that the federal government is viewed with mixed feelings by the population. While individual ministers do enjoy a degree of trust, confidence in the political leadership of the parties represented in parliament remains limited. With the exception of Kickl's gain, the party leaders form the bottom of the ranking.

The coming months will show whether the slight upward trends for Kickl and Marterbauer solidify, or whether discussions on topics such as the heat burden in schools, the reform partnership, and the government's investment policy will further change the trust picture. The next Federal Politics Trust Index survey will reveal the direction in which the values develop.

It also remains remarkable that Van der Bellen's value has remained stable since the previous survey. While all other top politicians lost between three and eleven points – or, in Kickl's case, gained six points – the federal president was able to maintain his level. This speaks to a consolidated basis of trust beyond day-to-day political debates.