 During her term of office, Gastinger gained quite a lot of recognition as a competent politician despite her initial inexperience.When, in April 2005, Haider split from the FPÖ and formed the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ), Gastinger eventually became a member of the newly formed party.During the election campaign leading up to the parliamentary elections to be held on 1 October 2006, she was "Spitzenkandidatin" (top of the list) of Styria for the BZÖ.