2004 Salzburg state election
The 2004 Salzburg state election was held on 7 March 2004 to elect the members of the Landtag of Salzburg.
The result was a historic victory for the Social Democratic Party of Austria, which became the largest party in the state for the first time in history. The SPÖ achieved a decisive swing of over thirteen percentage points, winning 45.4% of votes cast. The Austrian People's Party, which had governed the state uninterrupted since 1945, fell to second place despite only small losses. Incumbent Governor Franz Schausberger did not run for re-election; rather, Wilfried Haslauer Jr. was the ÖVP's top candidate. The Freedom Party of Austria lost over half its vote share and seats to the SPÖ, while The Greens made minor gains.
A coalition between the SPÖ and Greens was mathematically possible, but dismissed by the SPÖ, who had ruled out such an arrangement prior to the election. They subsequently formed a coalition with the ÖVP. Gabi Burgstaller became the first SPÖ governor of Salzburg. She became the second female state governor in Austrian history, and the first to enter office as the result of an election victory.