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Austria’s Far-Right Freedom Party Leads Election Projections
Austria’s Freedom Party (FPO) has emerged as the top performer in the country’s general election, surpassing the ruling Austrian People’s Party (OVP) led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer. This result reflects the growing support for right-wing parties across Europe, fueled by concerns over rising immigration levels.
Exit polls conducted by Foresight for broadcaster ORF on Sunday projected that the FPO, under the leadership of Herbert Kickl, secured 29.1% of the vote, placing it ahead of the OVP, which received 26.2%. The centre-left Social Democrats (SDP) came in third with 20.4%.
Another exit poll by Arge Wahlen confirmed the FPO’s victory with a slightly larger winning margin than expected, further solidifying its position as the front-runner in Austria’s political landscape.
Coalition Talks on the Horizon
Despite the victory, Herbert Kickl’s Freedom Party will need to find a coalition partner to secure a majority in the lower house of parliament. The OVP, which shares some policy stances with the FPO, is currently the only party open to a coalition—albeit without Kickl as the head.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer reiterated his stance against forming a government with the FPO leader, saying he would not partner with Kickl despite the shared interests in immigration policies and tax cuts.
Kickl, in his post-election statement to ORF, emphasized that his party is open to discussions with all political groups and urged other parties to reconsider their stance on forming a coalition with the FPO.
The election outcome marks the first far-right national election win in Austria since World War II and sets the stage for challenging coalition talks as the country grapples with economic and immigration issues that dominated the campaign.
