Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, FPO, has opened the door to a new era, its leader Herbert Kickl told supporters, as they celebrated an unprecedented election victory.
Kickl’s party won 29.2% of the vote according to provisional results – almost three points ahead of the conservative People’s Party, OVP, on 26.5%, but far short of a majority.
Kickl’s victory is only the latest in a string of far-right election successes in Europe and he praised voters for their “optimism, courage and trust” in delivering a “piece of history”.
The FPO has been in coalition before, but the second-placed OVP has refused to take part in a government led by Kickl.
Kickl’s main rival, incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer of the OVP, has said it’s “impossible to form a government with someone who adores conspiracy theories”.
There was a high turnout of 74.9% as Austrian voters took part in an election dominated by the twin issues of migration and asylum, as well as a flagging economy and the war in Ukraine.
As half the map of Austria turned dark blue, 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.
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Postal votes were still being counted on Monday morning, but an analysis of voters suggested those aged 35-59 were most likely to back the far right, and marginally more women than men.
Kickl’s party has won 56 seats in the 183-seat parliament, with the conservatives on 52 and the Social Democrats on 41, according to projected results.
The Freedom Party’s fiery leader had promised Austrians to build “Fortress Austria”, to restore their security, prosperity and peace.
The party wants firm rules on legal immigration and it has promoted the idea of remigration, which involves sending asylum seekers to their original countries.
It also wants a bar on the right to asylum as a step towards citizenship.
Herbert Kickl has aligned himself closely with Viktor Orban and his self-styled “illiberal democracy” in neighbouring Hungary.
On Sunday night, Social Democrat leader Andreas Babler warned that Austria must not follow the same path as Hungary.
Kickl had also spoken of becoming Volkskanzler (people’s chancellor) which for some Austrians carries echoes of the term used to describe Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.
The party was founded by former Nazis in the 1950s. Two days before the vote some of its candidates were caught on video at a funeral where an SS song was sung.
As the FPÖ’s victory became clear, a small group of protesters appeared outside parliament carrying anti-Nazi banners.
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