The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has won its first national election, emerging as the largest party with 29.1% of the vote, according to exit polls from Sunday’s general election.
The FPO edged out Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s Austrian People’s Party (OVP), which garnered 26.2%, while the leftist Social Democrats finished third with 20.4%.
Despite the victory, the FPO, led by Herbert Kickl, faces significant obstacles in forming a government. Austria’s mainstream parties, including Nehammer’s OVP, have largely refused to cooperate with the FPO, making it unlikely that Kickl will lead a governing coalition. The FPO’s hardline stance on immigration, its opposition to EU sanctions on Russia, and its calls for a more neutral foreign policy have made it controversial within Austria’s political landscape.
Kickl’s platform includes strict immigration restrictions and a push to resume Russian gas imports. The FPO’s win is part of a broader rightward shift in European politics, seen in recent elections in Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
