Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured victory in the general election for the first time in its history with 29% of the vote in Sunday’s elections (September 29), heralding a “new era” for Austria, according to leader Herbert Kickl.
Some 78% of Austria’s electorate voted on Sunday with the FPÖ coming out on top, two points ahead of Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s party. While the win is clear, it is not enough to rule, and Kickl will have to form a coalition if he wants to take the country’s reins.
Nevertheless, the win signifies the opening of a door to a “new era” and delivers a “piece of history, Kickl said on Sunday. He also praised the electorate for their “optimism, courage and trust”.
Although the FPÖ has been a prominent constant in Austrian politics, having participated in various government coalitions as a junior partner, it had never secured the top position in a national election.
“The voters have spoken with authority. A clear statement that things cannot continue like this in this country,” Kickl added.
Meanwhile, Nehammer’s Austrian People’s Party (OVP) finished in second place, making it a potential kingmaker in any future coalition. Nehammer has rejected the idea of a coalition with the FPÖ leader in the past but has left the door open to working with the party, provided Kickl is excluded.
The biggest loss of the night came from the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), which recorded its worst result in history, finishing third with 21% of the vote.
Liberal NEOS collected 9.2% of the vote, edging out the Green Party, which, as outgoing coalition partner of the ÖVP under Nehammer, received 8.3%—a decline of 5.6 points when compared to 2019’s results.
The satire Beer Party (BIER), led by Marco Pogo (Dominik Wlazny), which in 2022 competed in Austria’s presidential election and received 8% of the vote, and the Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ) failed to surpass the 4% threshold needed to enter parliament.
Since 2019, the FPÖ has significantly increased its support and rebuilt its base under Kickl’s leadership following a series of corruption scandals that hit the party.
“He’s a masterful communicator, probably the best communicator among the top Austrian political leadership figures,” Reinhard Heinisch, Professor of Comparative Austrian Politics at the University of Salzburg told Euractiv. “He is a different kind of person, and a different leader from his predecessors,” Heinisch added.
“The main issue here is simply the question of, would the conservatives want to be under a chancellor?” Heinisch said when considering the possibility of an FPÖ-ÖVP coalition led by an FPÖ chancellor.
The decision now rests with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who appoints the chancellor and tasking a politician with forming a government. Traditionally, the mandate is granted to the leader of the party that wins the election, though the president is not legally bound by this practice.
“I will ensure that the foundations of our liberal democracy are respected when forming a government: the rule of law, separation of powers, human and minority rights, independent media and EU membership,” President Van der Bellen said on X.
President Van der Bellen previously stated that he would not swear in anyone who “tries to promote an anti-European party or a party that does not condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
Whether the Austrian president may want to delay the process is yet to be seen. “I think in the long run he probably will not be able to permanently derail this, even if in the background he may want to coax others into a coalition,” Heinisch said.
Although one party may come in first, it is still possible for other parties to form a majority coalition.
A similar situation occurred in 2000, when the Freedom Party entered government with the Austrian People’s Party for the first time despite the Social Democrats winning the largest share of the vote. “It’s whoever gets 50% plus one seat in the legislature that ultimately matters,” Heinisch added.
Source: euractiv.com
