Austria's Freedom Party: In Or Out Of Office?

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is currently in talks to form a government for the first time since World War II. The party, founded in 1955, is variously described as far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and eurosceptic. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021 and is the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 of the 183 seats. The party has been tasked with forming a coalition government with the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) after winning 28.8% of the votes in the September 2024 election.

The Freedom Party's leader, Herbert Kickl

Kickl's political career began in the 1990s when he worked for the Freedom Party's party academy, rising to the position of deputy executive director in 2001. He became the executive director in 2002 and served as a speechwriter for long-time Freedom Party leader Jörg Haider. Kickl played a crucial role in the party's campaign strategy and inflammatory rhetoric, including the controversial 2010 Viennese state election slogan, "Viennese blood – too much foreign is not good for anyone."

In 2005, when Haider left the party, Kickl remained with the Freedom Party and became one of Haider's harshest critics. He was elected general-secretary of the party and director of its newspaper, positions he held until 2018 and 2017, respectively. As general-secretary, he was considered the party's chief strategist and "right-hand man" to leader Heinz-Christian Strache. Kickl was also elected to the National Council in 2006 and served as deputy chair of the Freedom Party faction.

In 2017, Kickl became the Federal Minister for the Interior in the first Kurz government, marking a significant shift in his political career. However, his tenure as minister was marred by several controversies. He was accused of misusing his office, fostering an anti-democratic agenda, and making provocative statements regarding asylum seekers, which were widely interpreted as allusions to concentration camps. He was also criticised for his actions against the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism, which were seen as attempts to protect right-wing extremist groups close to the Freedom Party.

In May 2019, following the Ibiza affair, Kickl was dismissed from his position as minister. He returned to the National Council, where he resumed his role as leader of the Freedom Party faction. In the September 2024 Austrian legislative election, the Freedom Party, under Kickl's leadership, gained a plurality of seats in the National Council with 28.85% of the votes.

Kickl has been described as a far-right politician with a taste for provocation. He has attended rallies alongside neo-Nazi groups and maintained ties with far-right, antisemitic, and racist organisations. Kickl's political agenda includes strong opposition to immigration, Islam, and multiculturalism. He advocates for the "remigration" of immigrants and their descendants, including citizens, who refuse to integrate. Additionally, he opposes sanctions against Russia and is critical of Western aid to Ukraine.

In January 2025, Kickl received a mandate from President Alexander Van der Bellen to form a coalition government with the Austrian People's Party. This marked the first time the Freedom Party was tasked with leading a government, and it remains to be seen whether he will succeed in forming a coalition.

The party's anti-immigration stance

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) has been described as a far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and eurosceptic party. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021 and is the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 out of 183 seats. The party has its roots in the pan-German and national liberal camp (Lager) dating back to the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas.

The FPÖ's anti-immigration stance has been a key part of its platform and has helped it gain support among Austrian voters. Under the leadership of Jörg Haider in the late 1980s and 1990s, the party shifted towards right-wing populism, which resulted in a surge in electoral support. Immigration became a central issue for the FPÖ, with Haider declaring that "Austria is not a country of immigration." The party called for tighter border controls and an end to immigration, arguing that it was necessary to protect Austrian cultural identity and social peace.

In recent years, the FPÖ has broadened its appeal by combining its anti-immigration message with criticism of the European Union, Covid restrictions, and support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion. The party has also cultivated bonds with other European populist parties, such as Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Marine Le Pen's Front National.

The FPÖ's anti-immigration stance has proven controversial, with the party being accused of right-wing extremism and possessing a neo-Nazi ideology. In 2000, Austria was briefly sanctioned by the EU for including the FPÖ in the government. Despite this, the party has maintained its popularity and has been able to gain power through coalition governments with both the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and the centre-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP).

The party's pro-Kremlin stance

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has been described as a far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and eurosceptic political party. The party has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021 and is the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 out of 183 seats. The FPO has been characterised by its friendly stances towards Putin's Russia and has been known for its Kremlin-friendly stance and opposition to providing aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

The FPO has a history of developing contacts with various Russian actors and has participated in events organised by pro-Kremlin groups. The party has also taken part in observer roles during controversial plebiscites and pushed pro-Kremlin narratives through media and parliamentary platforms. In 2016, the FPO signed a coordination and cooperation agreement with the ruling United Russia Party, which was seen as an attempt to advance the Kremlin's foreign policy interests.

The FPO has opposed sanctions against Russia and has called for their removal. They have also criticised Western military aid to Ukraine and want to withdraw from the European Sky Shield Initiative, a missile defence project. The party has criticised "elites" in Brussels and has called for some powers to be returned from the European Union to Austria.

The FPO's pro-Kremlin stance has been driven by the personal and tactical considerations of a limited number of leading party members, rather than being a strategic focus of the party as a whole. The party has shifted its foreign policy vision towards neutralism, and its relations with Moscow have been dependent on the Kremlin's interpretation of the political relevance of other Austrian parties.

The FPO's stance on Russia has provided economic, political, and symbolic benefits to the Kremlin. However, the party has not attempted to undermine Austria's commitment to the EU consensus on Russia and has instead followed the EU's general line on sanctions.

The party's Euroscepticism

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and Eurosceptic political party. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021 and is the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 out of 183 seats.

During the 1980s and 1990s, under the leadership of Jörg Haider, the FPÖ began an ideological turn towards right-wing populism, which included a stronger emphasis on Euroscepticism. The party opposed Austria's joining the EU in 1994 and has consistently criticised further integration and the centralisation of powers. The FPÖ also advocates for the renationalisation of decision-making powers and a reduction in the size and scope of EU institutions.

In the 2024 European Parliament elections, the FPÖ campaigned on a platform of Euroscepticism, calling for a reduction in the EU's budget and the number of its institutions. The party also opposed EU policies on migration, the war in Ukraine, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This Eurosceptic stance has proven popular with Austrian voters, as the FPÖ placed first in the 2024 EU elections for the first time.

The FPÖ's Euroscepticism is driven by its nationalist agenda and a desire to protect Austrian sovereignty and identity. It has criticised the EU for infringing on national decision-making and has even floated the idea of Austria leaving the EU ('Öxit') in the future. The party's scepticism extends to specific EU policies, such as the European Green Deal and the ban on combustion engines. Additionally, the FPÖ has been critical of the EU's sanctions against Russia and its financial and military aid to Ukraine.

The FPÖ's Euroscepticism has also led it to form alliances with other right-wing populist parties in Europe, such as the Dutch Freedom Party, the Italian Northern League, and the French National Front. These parties share a common desire to curb the power of the EU and emphasise national sovereignty.

In summary, the Freedom Party of Austria's Euroscepticism is a fundamental aspect of its ideology, shaping its policies, political alliances, and appeal to voters.

The party's history

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) was founded in 1956 as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU), a national liberal party with close associations to the Nazis. The VdU was founded by two liberal Salzburg journalists who were former prisoners of Nazi Germany. The first leader of the FPÖ, Anton Reinthaller, was a former Nazi functionary and SS officer. However, the party did not advocate far-right policies and presented itself as a centrist party.

In the 1980s, the Austrian political system began to change, with the dominance of the SPÖ and ÖVP eroding and the Austrian electorate swinging to the right. In 1986, Jörg Haider became leader of the FPÖ, and the party began an ideological turn towards right-wing populism. This resulted in a strong surge in electoral support, but also led to the SPÖ breaking ties. In the 1999 election, the FPÖ won 26.9% of the vote, becoming the second-most popular party.

In 2000, the FPÖ formed a coalition government with the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). This was the first time a party with Nazi origins had become part of a European government since World War II. Haider stepped down as FPÖ chief in 2000, and in 2005, internal disputes led to a split and the formation of a new party headed by Haider, the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).

In 2005, Heinz-Christian Strache was elected FPÖ party chairman. He led the party further to the right on an anti-immigrant and anti-foreigner platform. In 2017, the FPÖ won 26% of the vote in the parliamentary elections, and a coalition government was formed with the ÖVP. In 2019, the coalition collapsed due to the Ibiza affair, in which Strache was secretly filmed soliciting funds for the party from a purported Russian national.

In 2021, Herbert Kickl became leader of the FPÖ. In the 2024 Austrian legislative election, the party's support increased to 29.2% of the vote, placing first and achieving its best result in history. Kickl has been given the mandate to form a new government, which would be the first headed by the far-right since World War II.

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