Herbert Kickl takes charge of forming Austrian government after coalition talks collapse
Date
1/14/2025 7:48:37 AM
(MENAFN) Following the breakdown of coalition negotiations among the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), the Social Democrats (SPÖ), and the Liberals (NEOS), federal President Alexander Van der Bellen granted Herbert Kickl, leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), the mandate to form a government. This development marks a significant Political shift, as Kickl emerged victorious in last September’s national elections.
Initially, major political players, including the president, dismissed the possibility of a coalition with the FPÖ under Kickl's leadership. While the SPÖ’s opposition aligned with its long-standing stance against the FPÖ since the 1990s, the ÖVP’s resistance was more unexpected, given their recent coalition with the FPÖ from 2017 to 2019, which ended in scandal and collapse.
Kickl, who served as interior minister during that coalition, gained notoriety for ordering raids on his own intelligence service. He claimed these actions were necessary to expose what he described as efforts by a conservative deep state to undermine the FPÖ. However, former intelligence officials accused him of attempting to shield the FPÖ from scrutiny over alleged ties to far-right extremists.
In recent years, Kickl has further polarized public opinion, becoming a prominent critic of Austria’s COVID-19 policies, which he dubbed the “Corona dictatorship.” His populist rhetoric has broadened his appeal, drawing support from beyond the FPÖ’s traditional voter base.
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