A recent study on the occasion of the Austrian Green Party’s 30th anniversary found that the majority of eligible voters would like them to focus more on environmental protection. Indeed, green environmental politics is much less present in the news since the ecological movement entered Parliament. This is on the one hand because large-scale projects are planned more ecologically sensitive in the first place and public participation is much more wide-spread than back in the 1980s. On the other hand, when the Party is campaigning for improved assessment of environmental effects or the implementation of the Aarhus Convention for more public participation, then this is not spectacular enough to be in the news. Furthermore, the Green Party always also advocated the promotion of peace, human rights, social equality and minority rights - topics that are not necessarily for the masses, especially when concretised. While four out of ten Austrians have already voted for the Party, relatively few became constant Green voters. The Green Party is much more popular among voters from urban areas compared to those living in rural areas. This trend can be ascribed to the fact that it is much easier to organise small green projects like new bike lanes in cities than it is on the country side. This recognition is already a success, keeping in mind that the Party initially was created as a protest movement. It is, however, not enough.
