VIENNA (AP) – Europe’s far-right and nationalist parties are celebrating the victory of the far-right Freedom Party in Austria’s general election. It is unclear whether hard-line leader Herbert Kickle will be able to incorporate the idea of ”Fortress Austria” into government, but an election victory for his party could move politics further in that direction.
Sunday’s results leave Austria’s political future uncertain. This is because it is questionable how stable the next government will be after long negotiations, no matter who will form it.
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The Eurosceptic, pro-Russian Freedom Party won a record 29.2% of the vote, an increase of 13 points from the 2019 election. “Today we wrote the history of Austria,” Kickle told the cheering supporters. But Mr Kickle needs a coalition partner to govern, and other parties insist they will not work with him.
The two mainstream parties that have ruled Austria for most of the post-World War II period have suffered from voter anger over immigration and inflation, and with their combined parliamentary majorities very thin, it is likely that a third party will be needed to govern. You will need a partner.
Europe’s far-right allies rejoice
The Liberal Party is a member of the European Parliament’s right-wing populist coalition, the Union of European Patriots. Member states welcomed Austria’s result as it builds on achievements in other countries, including the European elections in June.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán praised the Liberal Party’s “historic victory”. Geert Wilders, whose party controls the new Dutch government, wrote on social media network X: Times are changing! Identity, sovereignty, freedom and a ban on illegal immigration/asylum are what tens of millions of Europeans aspire to. Congratulations also came from French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and others.
Paul Schmidt, executive director of the Austrian European Political Association think tank, said the Freedom Party “will serve as an example for Le Pen and others who want to win elections and assert leadership in their respective countries.” And the stronger Europe’s far-right alliances become, he said, “the more they will be able to influence priorities at the European level, such as migration, climate, and Ukraine.” Schmidt characterized the Freedom Party as more radical than parties such as Le Pen’s National Rally.
He predicted that mainstream parties in Austria and abroad would borrow more talking points from the far right, which could lead to further “changes in public discourse.”
The Liberal Party calls for an end to sanctions against Russia and criticizes Western countries’ military aid to Ukraine. Mr Kickle called European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a “warmonger”. The party also takes a hard line on immigration, calling for “the removal of uninvited foreigners” and wants Austria to regain powers from the EU.
Kickle has no allies in Austria.
Mr Kickle has led the Liberal Party to its best ever result, but he could be the main obstacle to taking power.
The 55-year-old is known for his penchant for provocation and for deliberately pushing the limits of conventional wisdom. Last year, for example, he shocked the political world when he described Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen as a “mummy” and an “old man.”
Kickl also appears to support conspiracy theories, advocating the use of ivermectin, a drug to treat parasites in animals during the coronavirus pandemic. He called the World Health Organization “an instrument to enforce the interests of power.”
Even Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party, which has twice led coalition governments with the Freedom Party and is aligned with the Freedom Party in some local governments, has gone too far and calls it a “security risk.” I even think that it is. Nehammer said it was “impossible to form a state” with Kickle because he had “radicalized himself”.
Kickle was a longtime Liberal Party campaign strategist, creating catchy and provocative anti-immigrant slogans. He spent most of his political career behind the scenes, particularly as a speechwriter for Jörg Haider, who led his party to success in the 1980s and 1990s, then led a government that collapsed amid corruption scandals from 2017 to 2019. He served as Minister of the Interior. Leader of the Liberal Party at the time. He has been leading the party since 2021.
The Freedom Party was founded in 1956 by former Nazis and is a long-established political force in Austria.
What happens next?
Analysts predict that forming a government will be slow and complicated.
Austrian political analyst Peter Hajeg said Kickle could make the case to become Austria’s next leader, and if that doesn’t happen, as seems likely at the moment, the opposition He said he would be able to join forces and enjoy a comfortable “front row” seat while watching the unstable situation. A coalition government between the People’s Party and the center-left Social Democratic Party.
These two parties ruled Austria together for many periods after World War II. But this time, with a very thin parliamentary majority, they may decide to bring in a third partner, perhaps the liberal Neos.
Although such a coalition would increase the number of seats in parliament, “a three-party coalition is not a kindergarten,” Hajek said. This is also an issue in neighboring Germany, where the national success of the far-right Alternative for Germany party has forced other parties into uncomfortable and contentious alliances in recent years.
Presidents traditionally act as prudent arbiters after elections, but it is unclear what approach Van der Bellen will take. He will take the oath of office in the new government after reaching a coalition agreement, but no deadline has been set. On Sunday night, he said he would ensure that “the fundamental pillars of liberal democracy are respected.”
Associated Press video journalist Philippe Jenne contributed to this report.
