Austrian voters on Sunday delivered a victory to the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) in general elections for the first time, according to preliminary results, reflecting growing support for right-wing parties in Europe due to concerns about immigration.
The Eurosceptic and pro-Russian FPO, led by Herbert Kickl, secured 29.1% of the vote, according to a projection by pollster Foresight. This placed them ahead of the ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party (OVP) of Chancellor Karl Nehammer, which garnered 26.2%, and the Social Democrats with 20.4%. Another projection by pollster Arge Wahlen also predicted an FPO victory with a margin of around four percentage points.
Although the victory is far from an absolute majority, the FPO will have the right to lead coalition negotiations. However, the win could prove “Pyrrhic” for Kickl, as many other political leaders are reluctant to support him due to his polarizing views. So far, he has given no indication that he might step aside to allow the party to take power.
“The question is whether the FPO will appoint the chancellor or not,” stated Kathrin Stainer-Hammerle, a political science professor. If that happens, she noted, Austria’s role in the European Union (EU) would change significantly, as Kickl often cites Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an inspiration.
The FPO’s victory would mark the latest rise in support for the far-right in the EU, following successes by similar parties in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. The FPO had already won at the national level in June when it outperformed the OVP in the European Parliament elections.
Although the OVP shares FPO’s views on stricter immigration rules, Nehammer has stated that his party will not enter a coalition with Kickl.
Photo: tovima
