The far-Right won the most votes in an Austrian election for the first time since World War Two on Sunday, as the Freedom Party (FPÖ) plans to “open the doors to a new era”.
Founded by a group of Nazi SS officers in the 1950s, Herbert Kickl’s party won 29.2% of the vote according to official provisional results – almost three points ahead of the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) on 26.5%.
While the win is clear, it is not enough of a majority, and Kickl will have to form a coalition if he wants to take the country’s reins.
The party’s triumph is yet another sign of an increasingly Right-leaning Europe. Unlike in other parts of Europe, the FPO has recently been in power as a junior coalition partner.
The opposition Social Democratic party scored its worst ever result – 21% – while the liberal NEOS drew about 9%. There was a high turnout of 74.9% as Austrian voters took part in an election dominated by migration and asylum issues, as well as a the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In its election program, titled “Fortress Austria,” the Freedom Party calls for “remigration of uninvited foreigners,” for achieving a more “homogeneous” nation by tightly controlling borders and suspending the right to asylum via an emergency law.
Speaking to his supporters, Kickl praised his voters for their “optimism, courage and trust” in delivering a “piece of history”.
“We have written a piece of history together today,” he told cheering party supporters in Vienna. “The voters have spoken with authority. A clear statement that things cannot continue like this in this country,” Kickl added.
FPÖ general secretary Michael Schnedlitz said “the men and women of Austria have made history today”, although he refused to say what kind of coalition his party would try to build.
The Freedom Party’s win sparked protests outside the parliament building in Vienna with demonstrators holding placards with slogans including ‘Kickl is a Nazi’.
Foaming a coalition is not going to be an easy task for Kickl with the Social Democrats, Greens and Neos have all ruling out a partnership with the far right.
Unlike the other centrist parties, the ÖVP has not ruled out cooperating with the far right in the next government, however the FPÖ would have to find a solution to the ÖVP’s refusal to have Kickl as chancellor.