VIENNA, Sept 30 (Askume) – Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) appeared set to take power on Monday, as the anti-establishment group seeks to find partners to form a governing coalition after a historic victory in parliamentary elections.
Sunday’s victory by the eurosceptic, pro-Russian Freedom party was another milestone in the recent rise of Europe’s far right. But the party immediately faced a harsh reality.
The leaders of the other parliamentary parties confronted Liberal leader Herbert Kickel in a television studio after the result was announced, and rejected his offer to form a coalition government .
The liberals won nearly 29% of the vote, about 2.5 percentage points ahead of Prime Minister Karl Nehammer’s conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), their best result ever, with Kickl blaming competitors for going against the public will.
“Tomorrow will be Blue Monday, and then we will work hard to turn 29 percent into a political reality in this country,” Kickel told supporters Sunday night. He touted the fact that blue is associated with his party.
Kiker, a provocative and polarising figure allied with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has offered to negotiate with all other parties in Austria, where the electoral system means parties mostly govern in coalitions.
President Alexander van der Bellen, the former Green Party leader who is overseeing government formation, urged parties to negotiate with each other and suggested Austrians conduct the process in two or three stages, which could take several months.
The Liberals won far more votes than polls showed, but that could prove a hollow victory if Kicker cannot find a willing coalition partner.
Still, it has delighted far-right parties across Europe, including in the Netherlands, France and Germany.People in remote areas also benefited. This growing supportThis could increase the risk of divisions within the EU on key policy areas, such as the defence of Ukraine against Russia .
Kickel opposes aid to Ukraine and wants sanctions on Russia lifted, arguing this would hurt Austria more than Moscow.
Supporters say the Free Federal Party’s “Austria First” policy will curb illegal immigration and boost the economy. Critics fear it could lead to the state becoming more authoritarian.
“Bodyization”
Irene Rubik, 69, a retired civil servant and Green Party voter, said the Freedom Party’s victory meant the future of Austrian democracy was at stake. She referred to Hungary’s Viktor Orban and expressed concern about the threat of “Orbanisation” in the country.
The Freedom Party, founded in the 1950s and led by former Nazi lawmakers, has worked to improve its image. Voters were attracted by its promises to limit refugees and tackle inflation, but their attachment to Kicker appeared limited.
A survey by polling firm Foresight showed that only 2% of FPÖ voters said he was the main reason for their vote, the lowest of all party leaders.
The OVP was the only party to express readiness to form a coalition with the FPÖ, but Nemer ruled out forming a government with Kikel. He reiterated the same sentiment on Sunday and there was no indication that Kikel would step down.
If Kikel is unable to form a coalition government, it could open the door to some sort of alliance between the Austrian People’s Party and the centre-left Social Democrats, two parties that have dominated Austria’s post-war political history.
Political analyst Thomas Hofer said Kicker continued to be portrayed as a threat and other parties refused to work with him, reinforcing his image as an outsider trying to change a system that failed to achieve its goals.
Hoffer said, “Because apparently Herbert Kickel thought this validated his anti-establishment narrative, his anti-establishment narrative.”
