A total of 20 seats were for the taking in the European elections in Austria on 9 June 2024, one more than last time. The FPÖ emerged as the strongest party with a share of 25,4 per cent, closely followed by ÖVP (24,5 per cent) and SPÖ (23,2 per cent). The Greens and Neos followed in fourth and fifth place with shares of 11,1 per cent and 10,1 per cent respectively. This does not change the Austrian parties represented in the EU Parliament; however, it alters the size of the delegations. The largest Austrian delegation is no longer the ÖVP, but the FPÖ with six MEPs. ÖVP and SPÖ each got five seats, Greens and NEOS two each. Eleven representatives, just over half of Austrian MEPs, are already able to look back on many years of experience in the EU Parliament, while nine MEPs are newcomers. In total, Austria is starting the new legislative period with eight women and twelve men. We provide a brief overview of the committees in which the Austrian MEPs will be working in future.

FPÖ - Freedom Party of Austria
The six FPÖ MEPs, twice as many as in the previous term, are no longer organised in the now disbanded Identity and Democracy (ID) parliamentary group but belong to the new Patriots for Europe (PfE) group. Harald Vilimsky and Georg Mayer are already beginning their third parliamentary term. Vilimsky is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and a substitute in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), while Mayer is a member of the Committee on Petitions (PETI) and substitute in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). Roman Haider will also remain in the delegation as a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN). New to the EU Parliament are former member of the Carinthian Parliament (Landtag) Elisabeth Dieringer and former National Council members Gerald Hauser from Tyrol and Petra Steger from Vienna. Dieringer will be a member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) as well as a substitute in the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT). Hauser will be a member of the Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) and a substitute in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and ENVI; Steger is a member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and a substitute in ITRE.

ÖVP - Austrian People's Party
In the 2024-2029 legislative period, the ÖVP will be represented in the EU Parliament by five instead of seven MEPs. Long-standing EU representative Othmar Karas, most recently again vice-president of the EU Parliament, is leaving Parliament after a quarter of a century. The vice-president of SME Europe and former head of delegation Angelika Winzig from Upper Austria as well as Alexander Bernhuber and Lukas Mandl from Lower Austria will remain in the team. Winzig is a member of ITRE and a substitute in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Farmer Bernhuber will be a member of the ENVI and PETI and a substitute in AGRI. The former member of the Lower Austrian Parliament and ÖAAB secretary general Mandl was able to secure a place as a member of the Committee on Development (DEVE) and LIBE and will act as a substitute in the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI). New to the EU Parliament are former ÖVP parliamentary group chairman and top candidate for the EU elections Reinhold Lopatka and Sophia Kircher, chairwoman of the Young ÖVP Tyrol and former vice-president of the Tyrolean Parliament. Lopatka will be a member of AFET, DEVE and the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), Kircher will be a vice-chair of TRAN and a substitute in IMCO.

SPÖ - Social Democratic Party of Austria
Andreas Schieder, former state secretary and SPÖ parliamentary group chairman, remains head of delegation, deputy head of delegation is trade unionist Evelyn Regner, who has also been campaigning for the interests of employees as an MEP since 2009 and most recently held the office of vice-president. Schieder will be involved as member of AFET and TRAN, Regner in ECON and as a substitute in EMPL and the Subcommittee on Taxation (FISC). Günther Sidl, former director of the Vienna Urania and member of the Lower Austrian Parliament, will also remain in the EU Parliament, as will Hannes Heide, former mayor of Bad Ischl, who initiated the Salzkammergut's bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2024. As in the previous legislature, Sidl will primarily focus on environmental, climate and energy issues as a member of ENVI and a substitute in ITRE. As a member of CULT and a substitute in the Committee for Regional Development (REGI) and LIBE, Heide will also largely remain true to his topics. New to the EU Parliament is Elisabeth Grossmann from Graz, previously member and former vice-president of the Federal Council (Bundesrat). She will be a member of IMCO and a substitute in FEMM.

The Greens
Styrian forestry and agriculture expert and co-chair of the European Green Party Thomas Waitz will remain in the EU Parliament for the Greens, now as head of the Green delegation from Austria. In the new legislative period, he will be a member of AGRI and a substitute in AFET. The second MEP to join the EU Parliament for the Austrian Greens is climate activist Lena Schilling, at 23 the youngest MEP of the new legislative period. She will be involved in parliamentary work as a member of ENVI and substitute in TRAN. Monika Vana and Sarah Wiener will no longer be represented in the EU Parliament in the new legislative period.

NEOS - The New Austria and Liberal Forum
NEOS is the only Austrian party to enter the EU Parliament with a completely new team. The previous MEP Claudia Gamon, lead candidate for the 2024 Vorarlberg state elections, decided not to run again. New to the EU Parliament are former journalist, former member of the National Council and NEOS lead candidate for the EU elections Helmut Brandstätter and former federal chairwoman of JUNOS (Young Liberal NEOS) Anna Stürgkh. Brandstätter is a member of AFET and substitute in AFCO, Stürgkh is a member of ITRE and substitute in ENVI and IMCO.

Further information:
EU Parliament: European Elections 2024 – everything there is to know
EU Parliament: Results of the European Elections 2024 | Austria
EU Parliament: Formation of parliamentary committees and delegations
EU Parliament: Committees
A&W-Blog: Nach den EU-Wahlen: Wer gibt im Europäischen Parlament den Ton an? (German only)