Austria’s far-right Freedom Party has gained a realistic chance of leading the country’s next government after talks between three mainstream parties collapsed. The party’s firebrand leader, Herbert Kickl, would become chancellor if they succeed.
Kickl’s platform focuses on anti-immigration and has been criticized for its hostile attitude towards migrants. He wants to halt new asylum seekers and ban citizenship for those seeking refuge in Austria.
The conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), led by Karl Nehammer, announced it would enter coalition talks with the Freedom Party despite a previous promise not to work with them. ÖVP Chancellor Karl Nehammer resigned both his position and party leadership.
Experts warn that the development has raised concerns about instability and chaos in Austrian politics. Peter Filzmaier, a political scientist, described the situation as “chaos” due to the shift towards the right.
The Freedom Party won 29% of the vote in recent elections, while the ÖVP secured 26%. If successful, Austria would have one of Europe’s first openly far-right governments, reflecting growing discontent with migration and economic issues.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/world/europe/austria-coalition-talks-collapse-far-right.html