Austria faces uncertainty after historic far-right election win

VIENNA: Austria entered uncharted territory on Monday after the far right scored a historic national election win, with parties facing an uphill task to form a new government.

The far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) under Herbert Kickl has rapidly regained ground lost in a string of corruption scandals, winning 28.8 percent in Sunday´s vote, according to near-complete results.

The FPOe beat the ruling conservative People´s Party (OeVP) into second place on 26.3 percent, and the left-wing Social Democrats (SPOe) into third on 21.1 percent. But so far all parties have refused to work with Kickl because of his radical proposals. “Winner -- and what now?” said the daily Kurier´s main headline with a photo of Kickl giving a thumbs-up.

A vocal critic of the European Union and its sanctions against Russia for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Kickl´s abrasiveness has left him isolated among Austrian lawmakers. Uncertainty over what would happen next dominated Austria, as Kickl´s FPOe could end up being sidelined like some of its far-right allies in Europe. “Times are changing,” Dutch far-right firebrand Geert Wilders wrote on X after Austria´s election results were announced, listing 11 European countries where nationalist parties were “winning”.

In neighbouring Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban hailed “another win for the #Patriots”. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen expressed “delight” at the “groundswell that carries the defence of national interests, the safeguarding of identities and the resurrection of sovereignties”.