Lexi Webster
Austria's Freedom Party (FPO or FPÖ) is a far-right, anti-EU party that has been described as racist, xenophobic and anti-immigrant. The party has called for a referendum on EU sanctions against Russia and walked out during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The FPO has been successful in elections, at times becoming a junior partner in government, but has faced challenges in forming coalition governments. The party's ideology has been influenced by Italian theorist Antonio Gramsci's concept of cultural power, and it has contributed to a shift in Austria's political culture, with traditional conservative parties adopting more far-right stances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Freedom Party of Austria (FPO or FPÖ) |
| Political leanings | Far-right, anti-immigration, anti-Islam, eurosceptic, pro-Russia |
| Leader | Herbert Kickl |
| Parliamentary seats | 57 of the 183 seats in the National Council |
| Votes in the 2024 election | 28.85% |
| MEPs | Six |
| Alliance | Patriots for Europe (PfE) |
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What You'll Learn
- The Freedom Party of Austria's (FPO) anti-immigration stance
- FPO's Euroscepticism and opposition to sanctions on Russia
- FPO's far-right, racist and authoritarian ideology
- FPO's history and its roots in the pan-German and national liberal camp
- FPO's support for a national referendum on sanctions against Russia
The Freedom Party of Austria's (FPO) anti-immigration stance
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) has been labelled as a far-right, anti-immigration party. It has positioned itself as a "defender of tradition" in Austria, with a strong anti-Muslim message and a longtime call for a ban on face veils, which has since become law. The party has criticised unemployment and alleged welfare state abuse by immigrants, which it says threatens the welfare state and pensioners' benefits.
Under the leadership of Heinz-Christian Strache from 2005 to 2019, the FPÖ focused on portraying itself as a guarantor of Austrian identity and the social welfare state. Strache has also declared himself "a friend of the Serbs", who constitute one of the largest immigrant groups in Austria. Siding with Serbia, the FPÖ rejects the independence of Kosovo. During Strache's leadership, the party supported regulated liberalism with privatisation and low taxes, combined with support for the welfare state. However, the FPÖ maintained that it would be impossible to uphold the welfare state if current immigration policies continued.
The party has also been known to oppose sanctions on Russian energy, calling for a national referendum on the issue. In March 2023, FPÖ lawmakers walked out of the lower house of Austria's parliament during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in protest of what they saw as a violation of Austria's national principle of neutrality.
The FPÖ has been subjected to sanctions and boycotts by the European Union (EU), which has stated that the party's inclusion in the Austrian government "legitimises the extreme right in Europe". However, the FPÖ has regained popularity in recent years, with its anti-immigration stance resonating with many Austrians, particularly in the context of the European refugee crisis of 2015.
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FPO's Euroscepticism and opposition to sanctions on Russia
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a Eurosceptic party that has opposed sanctions on Russia. Founded in 1956 as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU), the party represents pan-Germanists and national liberals opposed to socialism and Catholic clericalism. It is the largest of five parties in the National Council, with 57 out of 183 seats and won 28.85% of votes cast in the 2024 election. The party is represented in all nine state legislatures.
The FPÖ has a history of opposing immigration, Islam, and the European Union. In 2006, the party returned to promoting anti-immigration, anti-Islam, and Eurosceptic issues, winning 11% of the vote and 21 seats in parliament. The party's ideology became more radical under the leadership of Heinz-Christian Strache, who was elected chairman in 2005. The FPÖ has also been characterised as racist, authoritarian, and pro-Russian.
The FPÖ has called for the lifting of "damaging and pointless" international sanctions against Russia, approved by the EU. The party opposes sanctions on Russian energy and has called for a national referendum on the issue. In March 2023, lawmakers from the party walked out of the lower house of Austria's parliament during a speech by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, protesting against what they saw as a violation of Austria's national principle of neutrality.
The FPÖ's opposition to sanctions on Russia is part of its broader Eurosceptic stance. The party is a founding member of the Patriots.eu and its six MEPs sit with the Patriots for Europe (PfE) group in the European Parliament. The FPÖ's stance on the United States and the Middle East has evolved over time, with the party showing more positive inclinations towards the US under Haider's leadership in the late 1980s and 1990s. However, the party has consistently opposed EU policies and presented itself as a centrist alternative to the traditional political duopoly in Austria.
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FPO's far-right, racist and authoritarian ideology
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a far-right political party with a racist and authoritarian ideology. The party has been described as "pro-Russian and anti-immigrant", and has opposed sanctions on Russian energy, calling for a national referendum on the issue. The FPÖ has a history of connections to Nazi functionaries and officers, and while it initially did not advocate far-right policies, presenting itself as a centrist party, it has since shifted to the far-right of the political spectrum.
The party's ideology centres around issues such as immigration and questions of identity and belonging. The FPÖ has been accused of promoting anti-immigration, anti-Islam, and Eurosceptic sentiments. It has also been described as ethnocentric, tapping into societal shifts to create a new sense of patriotism and engaging broadly in local government. The party's success has been attributed to its meticulous groundwork, including investing in propaganda work and building an alternative media universe.
The FPÖ's far-right ideology aligns with the broader characteristics of far-right politics, which include radical conservatism, authoritarianism, ultra-nationalism, nativism, xenophobia, and racism. The party's victory in Austria's general election reflects the rise of far-right political parties in Europe, where extreme rightist parties are gaining traction with their unabashedly illiberal and authoritarian agendas.
The FPÖ's success has had significant implications, with the European Union (EU) previously imposing sanctions on Austria after the FPÖ formed a coalition government. The EU stated that the inclusion of the FPÖ in the government "legitimises the extreme right in Europe." The party's influence has also impacted the country's traditional conservative party, the People's Party, which has adopted more hard-line stances on migration.
The FPÖ's far-right, racist, and authoritarian ideology has contributed to its establishment as a significant political force in Austria, shaping the country's political landscape and challenging liberal democratic norms.
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FPO's history and its roots in the pan-German and national liberal camp
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is a far-right political party with representation in the Austrian parliament. It was founded in 1956 as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU), a party that represented pan-Germanists and national liberals who were opposed to socialism and Catholic clericalism. The FPÖ's first leader, Anton Reinthaller, was a former Nazi functionary and SS officer, but the party did not advocate far-right policies and presented itself as a centrist party.
The FPÖ has historically been part of the "national liberal" camp, with an ideology comprising national liberalism, pan-Germanism, and anti-clericalism. Pan-Germanism, also known as Pan-Germanicism, is a pan-nationalist political idea that seeks to unify all ethnic Germans, German-speaking people, and possibly non-German Germanic peoples into a single nation-state known as Greater Germany. This idea was widespread among the revolutionaries of 1848, and the FPÖ is a descendant of this pan-German and national liberal camp, dating back to the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas.
During the interwar era, the national liberal camp fought against the Christian Social and Marxist camps, aiming to structure the new republic according to their ideologies. After a short civil war, the Fatherland Front established an Austrofascist dictatorship in 1934. By 1938, with the Anschluss of Austria into Nazi Germany, the national liberal camp was absorbed into Austrian National Socialism, and all other parties were eventually absorbed into Nazi totalitarianism.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the German nationalist movement, represented by the Freedom Party and its affiliated organisations, was very active in universities, where student fraternities helped spread German nationalist and liberal views. Inside the Freedom Party, the liberal wing grew to overtake the pan-Germanist wing, and Austrian patriotism was gradually incorporated into the party's ideology.
Under the leadership of Jörg Haider in 1986, the FPÖ departed from liberalism and moved towards right-wing populism and conservatism. The party's ideology grew more radical, and it returned to its primary goal of vote-maximising, with a strong focus on anti-immigration rhetoric. The FPÖ has continued to evolve, combining populist positions with qualified support for the welfare state, and opposing sanctions on Russian energy.
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FPO's support for a national referendum on sanctions against Russia
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), a far-right, anti-EU party, has called for a national referendum on sanctions against Russia. The FPÖ has labelled the sanctions "damaging and pointless", and continues to oppose sanctions on Russian energy. On March 30, 2023, FPÖ lawmakers walked out of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech to the lower house of Austria's parliament, in protest at what they saw as a violation of Austria's national principle of neutrality.
The FPÖ's support for a referendum on sanctions against Russia is in line with its anti-EU stance and its focus on issues such as immigration and questions of identity and belonging. The party has a history of opposing immigration and Islam, and has been described as racist, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic. It was founded in 1956 as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU), representing pan-Germanists and national liberals opposed to socialism and Catholic clericalism.
The FPÖ has a significant presence in Austrian politics, holding 57 of the 183 seats in the National Council and representation in all nine state legislatures. It is the junior partner in the governing coalition with the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP). The FPÖ's support for a referendum on sanctions against Russia is likely influenced by its ideological convictions and its desire to promote its ethnocentric brand of patriotism.
The EU sanctions against Russia were implemented in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and are intended to maximise the negative impact on the Russian economy while limiting the consequences for EU businesses and citizens. The sanctions include export and import restrictions, financial measures, and travel bans. The EU has also introduced measures to prevent the circumvention of sanctions, such as banning access to EU ports for vessels suspected of breaching sanctions.
The FPÖ's call for a national referendum on sanctions against Russia has not been without controversy. The party's pro-Russian stance has been noted by critics, and its walkout during President Zelenskyy's speech was seen as a protest against Austria's support for Ukraine. Despite this, the FPÖ continues to push for a referendum on the sanctions, reflecting its ideological convictions and its desire to shape Austria's political culture.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria's anti-EU party is the Freedom Party of Austria (FPOe).
The Freedom Party is anti-immigration and anti-Islam. It has capitalised on concerns about immigration and security and links the two issues.
The Freedom Party opposes sanctions on Russian energy and has called for a national referendum on the issue.
The Freedom Party is a far-right party.
The Freedom Party won 28.85% of votes cast in the 2024 election, making it the largest of five parties in the National Council.
