Far-Right FPÖ Wins Parliamentary Elections In Austria According To Early Projections

Polls in Austria closed on Sunday following a general election, with initial projections suggesting a historic victory for the far-right party FPÖ over the governing conservatives.

Predictions from Institut Foresight indicate that the FPÖ may secure over 29% of the vote, slightly surpassing expectations from prior surveys. If these projections hold true, the FPÖ would gain the most seats in the upcoming Austrian parliament.

FPÖ ready for negotiations

On Sunday evening, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl announced that his party was prepared to engage in negotiations with other political groups. He remarked that his party was ready to lead a government and stated that it was now up to other parties to clarify their stance on democracy. Additionally, he noted that voters had clearly indicated that the current state of affairs in the country could not continue.

The incumbent ÖVP, led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer, also performed better than anticipated, securing 26.2% of the vote, while the center-left Social Democrats garnered 20.4%. The Greens, part of the ruling coalition with the conservatives, appeared poised to receive 8.6% of support.

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Nehammer declines to collaborate with FPÖ

Early projections were released shortly after polls closed, with actual results still pending. Nevertheless, Chancellor Nehammer acknowledged his party’s defeat by Sunday evening, expressing disappointment over missing the top position but recognizing an improvement from previous poll ratings.

Nehammer declined to collaborate with FPÖ’s Kickl, emphasizing that immigration issues and an economic downturn were central to the election. Under its campaign titled “Fortress Austria,” the FPÖ advocated for increased deportations of “uninvited foreigners” and a suspension of asylum rights through emergency legislation. They also called for an end to sanctions against Russia.

FPÖ previously been part of several governments

The party faced backlash the day before the election when three senior leaders attended a funeral featuring a song associated with the Nazis. A video of the politicians at the funeral circulated in local media, though it was unclear if they sang along. Austria’s Jewish Students’ Union reported the incident to prosecutors, labeling it a concerning sign for the country.

During the campaign, Nehammer aimed to depict Kickl as a dangerous extremist and stated he would not work with him, although he suggested potential cooperation with the FPÖ as a whole.

On Sunday, the Chancellor reaffirmed his refusal to collaborate with Kickl.

He reiterated that his pre-election stance remained unchanged after the election.

The FPÖ has previously been part of several governments but had never achieved the top position in a national vote until Sunday.

Herbert Kickl of FPÖ expresses optimism about the election results

Herbert Kickl, the former interior minister, has led the party since 2021. Under his combative leadership, which followed a significant corruption scandal in 2019, the party has regained popularity fueled by public dissatisfaction with COVID restrictions, migration, inflation, and the Ukraine conflict.

After casting his vote on Sunday afternoon, Kickl expressed optimism about the election results, suggesting that the prevailing mood could translate into votes. However, when questioned about stepping down for the party’s benefit, he stated that he would respect the voters’ decision, whatever it might be.

Road blocks for FPÖ

Analysts suggest that even if the FPÖ emerges with the most votes, it may lack sufficient seats or partners to form a government. A coalition among the conservatives, Social Democrats, and the liberal NEOS remains a possible scenario.

Voting commenced at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and concluded ten hours later, with over 6.3 million of Austria’s 9 million residents eligible to participate. Following the projections, Alice Weidel, the head of Germany’s far-right AfD party, congratulated the FPÖ. The AfD, which shares significant ideological similarities with the FPÖ, also achieved notable gains in three separate state elections in Germany earlier this month.

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