Far-right Freedom Party wins big in Austria election

Austria's political landscape has entered a period of uncertainty following the far-right Freedom Party’s (FPÖ) historic success in Sunday’s general election, raising concerns about the future of the country’s democracy. Exit polls indicate that younger voters played a key role in the FPÖ's surge, with frustration over issues like immigration, inflation, and strict COVID-19 measures driving a shift away from centrist incumbents.

The FPÖ, an anti-Islam, Kremlin-friendly party founded by former Nazi officials after World War II, secured just over 29% of the vote, surpassing the ruling center-right People’s Party (ÖVP) by nearly three percentage points. The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) recorded its worst-ever showing with 21%, while the Greens, junior partners in the outgoing government, dropped to 8%.

Exit polls revealed that 27% of voters under the age of 34 backed the FPÖ, a figure that climbed to 37% among voters aged 35 to 59. However, the party’s support waned among Austrians over 60, who largely favored the ÖVP and SPÖ.

In the wake of the FPÖ's success, the International Auschwitz Committee, representing survivors of the Nazi extermination camp, condemned the outcome, calling it an “alarming new chapter” for Austria. Vice-president Christoph Heubner expressed hope that the country's democratic forces would resist “historical amnesia” and the resurgence of far-right extremism.

Despite its electoral gains, the FPÖ is unlikely to form a government easily, as it lacks an outright majority. Smaller parties have refused to collaborate with the far-right, and the ÖVP, led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer, has stated it will not join a government led by FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl. Kickl, known for his hardline views and ties to Russia, was previously ousted as Austria’s interior minister and has been criticized for using Nazi-like rhetoric in his speeches.

Celebrating the victory, Kickl urged Nehammer and the ÖVP to reconsider their stance, but his polarizing leadership remains a key obstacle to forming a coalition government.

[Information sourced from The Guardian]