Austrian presidential election, 1998

Austria

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The Austrian presidential election of 1998 was won by the incumbent president Thomas Klestil, who sought re-election as an independent candidate. The Austrian People's Party, who had originally put him up in 1992, reluctantly supported him again, while the Austrian Social Democratic Party and the Austrian Freedom Party did not propose any competing candidates. Klestils competitors were Heide Schmidt, leader of the Liberal Forum, Gertraud Knoll, the former Lutheran superintendent of Burgenland (supported by the Greens), socialite Richard Lugner and Karl Walter Nowak.

Election results

 Summary of the 19 April 1998 Austrian presidential election results

Candidates and affiliated parties			Votes	%
	Thomas Klestil	Independent	2,644,034	63.42%
	Gertraud Knoll	Independent †	566,551	13.59%
	Heide Schmidt	Liberal Forum	464,625	11.14%
	Richard Lugner	The Independents	413,066	9.91%
	Karl Nowak	Independent	81,043	1.94%
Total			4,169,319	100%
Spoilt and null votes			181,953	4.82%
Votes cast / turnout			4,351,272	74.40%
Electorate			5,848,584
† member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria Source: Austrian ministry of Interior