White Supremacists In Austria: Prevalent Or Peripheral?

Austria has seen a surge in far-right nationalism in recent years, with the Austrian branch of the Identitarian Movement gaining prominence. This group, branded as the hipster right, advocates for a homogeneous (white) Europe and spreads the great replacement conspiracy theory, which claims that white Europeans will be replaced by people from the Middle East and Africa through immigration. The Identitarian Movement has been accused of racist and Islamophobic rhetoric, and its success has been linked to the shift in Austrian politics towards the far-right. In 2018, Austria recorded nearly 2,000 racist incidents, a significant increase from the previous year. The far-right Freedom Party, founded by former Nazis, has gained political influence and has been criticized for its xenophobic and racist policies. The party's leader, Herbert Kickl, has been labeled a right-wing extremist and a “neo-Nazi by opponents.

The Identitarian Movement

Martin Sellner, a former neo-Nazi, is a prominent leader of the Austrian Identitarian Movement. He has been accused of receiving donations from Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, who allegedly shared the movement's ideology. The Austrian government is considering dissolving the group, and there have been investigations into Sellner's potential involvement in a terrorist group.

The Austrian Identitarians have staged various attention-grabbing stunts and protests, such as dressing a statue of Empress Maria Theresa in a niqab and scaling the roof of the Greens' party headquarters. They advocate for a homogeneous (white) Europe, claiming that the continent is being turned into an "Islamic country." They promote segregation to preserve "European identity" and support the idea of "re-migration," which entails restricting religious freedom to force Muslims to return to their countries of origin.

The Austrian Identitarian Movement has gained momentum alongside the shift in Austrian politics towards the far-right. The rise of the far-right Freedom Party in a coalition government has legitimized and emboldened the Identitarians. Members of the Freedom Party have been linked to the group, and they share similar ideologies, such as their call for "remigration."

Austria's far-right hipsters

The Austrian Identitarians use the internet to promote their actions on the streets, imitating the tactics of leftist activist groups such as Greenpeace. They have performed highly visible acts such as dressing a statue of Empress Maria Theresa in a niqab, scaling the roof of the Greens' party headquarters in Graz, and storming a theatre production performed by refugees in Vienna.

The Austrian Identitarians say they are "'patriots' who are preserving a 'European identity'. They advocate for a homogenous (white) Europe and believe that the continent is being turned into an 'Islamic country'. They spread the "great replacement" conspiracy theory, which claims that white Europeans will be replaced by people from the Middle East and Africa through immigration. However, this theory is based on inflated statistics and unsubstantiated demographic projections.

To distance themselves from the traditional far-right, the Austrian Identitarians have created a new vocabulary. For example, Martin Sellner, a co-leader of the movement, identifies as a "patriot" instead of a nationalist. Their campaign for "ethnopluralism" is a demand that different ethnicities live separately to preserve "European identity". Their idea of "re-migration" translates to restricting religious freedom to the point where Muslims feel forced to return to their countries of origin.

The rise of the Austrian Identitarians has run in tandem with Austrian politics' shift to the right. In December 2017, the far-right Freedom Party came to power in a coalition government with the conservative People's Party. Since then, the government has proposed cutting welfare payments for foreigners and making it harder for refugees to become citizens. As far-right views have become more mainstream, a 2017 survey by the Bertelsmann Foundation found that more than one quarter of non-Muslim Austrians would not want a Muslim neighbour.

The Austrian Identitarians have also been integrated into a global network of far-right populists. Their leader, Martin Sellner, has had his speeches read out by the UK's Tommy Robinson, and he has spoken at PEGIDA events in Dresden.

The Freedom Party

The FPÖ has been described as far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, eurosceptic, and russophile. It has a history of controversial and extremist ideologies, and its leaders have included former Nazis and SS officers. The party initially presented itself as a centrist party but underwent an ideological shift towards right-wing populism under the leadership of Jörg Haider in 1986. This shift resulted in increased electoral support but also led to internal tensions and the eventual departure of Haider and several other party leaders in 2005. They went on to form the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).

Under the leadership of Heinz-Christian Strache from 2005 to 2019, the FPÖ became even more radical and focused on describing itself as a "social" and "guarantor of Austrian identity." The party's ideology centres on anti-immigration and anti-Islam sentiments, presenting Muslims as the primary "targets" in their anti-immigration strategies. They have advocated for a homogeneous (white) Europe and spread the great replacement conspiracy theory, which claims that white Europeans will be replaced by people from the Middle East and Africa through immigration. The FPÖ has also been critical of the European Union and has opposed Turkey's accession to the EU.

The party has faced accusations of right-wing extremism and possessing a neo-Nazi ideology by the Austrian Mauthausen Committee. Their anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric has influenced other political parties in Austria, with the centre-right ÖVP adopting similar positions to appeal to conservative and religious voters. The FPÖ has faced internal struggles and has lost and gained support over the years, but it remains a significant force in Austrian politics, with 29.2% of the vote in the 2024 election.

Anti-Muslim and anti-refugee sentiment

Austria has a history of right-wing populism and anti-Muslim sentiment. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been a key player in this, with its leader Heinz-Christian Strache and close ally Norbert Hofer, who was a candidate for the Austrian presidency in 2016. Strache has stated that "Islamism is the new fascism", and the party has focused on an anti-Islam, anti-refugee message.

The FPÖ's anti-Muslim rhetoric has been linked to entrenched Judeophobic prejudices in Austrian society. Some analysts argue that Islamophobia serves as a cover for antisemitism in Austria, where Jews have historically been seen as the "utmost enemy". This view is supported by the fact that, while Islamophobia has been on the rise in Austria, publicly voiced prejudices against Muslims have remained comparatively rare.

The Freedom Party's anti-refugee stance has also been a significant part of its platform. In 2015 and 2016, Austria experienced a large influx of refugees, with an estimated 40,000 passing through the town of Wels alone. The FPÖ has capitalised on fears about refugees, stoking anti-refugee sentiment among the Austrian public.

The party's anti-refugee rhetoric has been accompanied by policies targeting migrants. For example, in Wels, which has a proportionally higher migrant population, the FPÖ mayor has introduced a "value codex" for nurseries, requiring children aged four to six to recite German poems and songs by heart. Migrants who refuse to send their children to nursery face cuts in benefits.

The rise of anti-refugee sentiment in Austria has been attributed to various factors, including the country's history of right-wing populism, fears about globalisation, and frustration with the political establishment. Additionally, the post-socialist ethnonational primordialism that emerged after 1991 has contributed to anti-refugee sentiment, as refugees are seen as a threat to the cultural and pseudobiological homogeneity of the nation.

While the Austrian government has taken steps to improve the reception and integration of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, anti-refugee sentiment remains a significant issue in the country.

The Austrian government's response

The Austrian government has taken several measures to combat white supremacy and far-right extremism within the country. Firstly, they have strengthened criminal protection against discrimination and hate crimes, including racist incidents, which have been on the rise in Austria. The Austrian Constitution enshrines the principle of equal treatment, and comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation has been adopted and is constantly improved. Austria is also a signatory to international conventions such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which calls on states to take concrete measures to combat discrimination based on colour or ethnic origin.

In addition to legislative measures, the Austrian government has implemented non-legislative actions, particularly in education, training and awareness-raising. They actively engage in international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union to combat racism and xenophobia, and promote equal treatment and integration.

In response to the rise of far-right parties, such as the Freedom Party, the Austrian government has taken a strong stance against xenophobic and racist ideologies. For instance, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has publicly denounced the leader of the Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl, as a "right-wing extremist". The government has also proposed cutting welfare payments for foreigners and making it more difficult for refugees to become citizens, in an attempt to address public anxieties about immigration and border control.

However, it is important to note that the Freedom Party has previously been a part of a coalition government with the conservative People's Party, indicating a degree of mainstream acceptance of far-right ideologies in Austrian politics.

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