Kickl Herbert, leader of Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), is under regular attack for his party’s perceived alignment with Nazi ideologies. However, supporters argue that this criticism highlights the hyper-sensitivity and anti-democratic stance of his mainstream political adversaries in Austria, who reject unpalatable truths he champions. Following a recent spectacular parliamentary election victory in which FPÖ secured 29% of the votes, beating the ruling centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) and the left-leaning SPÖ, Kickl readily proclaimed his aggressive political stance. This included endorsing the controversial idea of “remigration”, a forceful expulsion of even Austrian nationals with foreign roots.
This relentless advance of the nationalist, anti-immigrant right is gaining momentum throughout Europe, mirroring the success of right-leaning politicians like Geert Wilders in Netherlands and the Alternatives for Germany (AdF) in Germany. These victories came without the need for a shift in their hardline ideologies. In comparison, Marine Le Pen of France and Georgia Meloni of Italy seem moderately right-wing.
The past year has seen a surge in far-right achievements, initiated by Robert Fico in Slovakia last September, followed by Wilders two months later. France’s National Rally achieved its highest ever representation in the National Assembly in July, while AdF came first in Thuringia’s election last month. Now, Andrej Babiš of Czech, leader of the ANO party which aligns with FPÖ, seeks to mirror their victory by 2025. All these political shifts have hardened immigration policies across Europe.
Despite Herbert’s party having previously been part of a coalition government and his proclamation of a “new era” post-vote, FPÖ is still a significant distance away from gaining a majority in the parliament or forming a government. His previous partner, the ÖVP, has expressed resistance to support a FPÖ-led government, with similar objections from the left. A shaky coalition involving the centre, left, and greens that could possibly assemble a majority is now on the cards. It appears that intense negotiations lay ahead.