Right wing wins Austria`s recent general election
Date
9/30/2024 4:48:45 AM
(MENAFN) In a significant Political shift, the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has emerged victorious in the recent general election, marking its first-ever triumph in such a contest. According to exit polls released on Sunday evening, the FPO garnered 29.1 percent of the vote, surpassing Chancellor Karl Nehammer's Austrian People’s Party (OVP), which received 26.2 percent. The center-left Social Democrats followed with 20.4 percent, while the liberal NEOS party and the Greens trailed in fourth and fifth places, securing 8.8 percent and 8.6 percent respectively.
This electoral success follows the FPO's narrow victory over the OVP in the European Parliament election three months earlier, where it achieved 25.4 percent compared to the OVP's 24.5 percent. Although the FPO has been a prominent player in Austrian politics since the 1950s, it had never before overtaken the OVP or the Social Democrats to claim the top spot in a national election.
The party has a history of participating in conservative coalitions, having joined forces with the OVP in 1999 and again in 2018. However, it was ousted from the government in 2019 following a corruption scandal involving its then-leader, Heinz-Christian Strache.
Under the current leadership of Herbert Kickl, the FPO has adopted a hardline stance on immigration, pledging to implement strict measures, including the "remigration of uninvited foreigners." Kickl has also expressed strong opposition to European Union sanctions on Russia, labeling European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen a "warmonger."
In its campaign manifesto, the FPO outlined its intention to cease contributions to the European Union’s weapons fund for Ukraine, advocating for what it describes as a policy of "peace and neutrality." Additionally, the party has called for Austria to resume purchasing Russian gas, reflecting its stance on international energy relations.
The results of this election could signal a pivotal moment in Austria's political landscape, as the FPO's rise may influence the country's policies on immigration, European Union relations, and foreign affairs in the years to come.
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