Omari Gates
Austria has a history of right-wing politics, with the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) repeatedly being included in governing coalitions. The party has been described as far-right, and has been accused of xenophobia, antisemitism, and using Nazi jargon. Despite this, the FPÖ has enjoyed high popularity, and in 2024, it was reported that the party was polling at around 30%. This shift can be attributed to several factors, including opposition to COVID-19 measures and vaccines, skepticism toward European support for Ukraine, and concerns about immigration and inflation. Additionally, the country's weak economy and unpopular government have contributed to the rise of the far-right. With the FPÖ's surge in popularity, there are concerns that Austria could become the next EU nation with a populist right-wing government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Opposition to Covid-19 countermeasures | |
| Skepticism of vaccines | |
| Opposition to European support for Ukraine | |
| Pro-Russia position | |
| Anti-immigration stance | |
| High popularity of the FPÖ | |
| Normalization of far-right ideas | |
| Inaction on antisemitism scandals | |
| Use of Nazi jargon | |
| Nationalist and traditionalist values | |
| Inward-looking and isolated |
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What You'll Learn
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)
Despite its roots in the VdU, the FPÖ has enjoyed high popularity over the years. The party has served as a coalition partner with the centre-left Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) from 1983 to 1987, and with the conservative Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) from 1999 to 2002. The FPÖ has been described as far-right, right-wing populist, national-conservative, and Eurosceptic. It has been led by Herbert Kickl since 2021, who has been described as a hardliner.
In the 2024 election, the FPÖ won 28.85% of the votes cast, making it the largest of five parties in the National Council with 57 out of 183 seats. The party is represented in all nine state legislatures. The FPÖ's support has been bolstered by its opposition to COVID-19 countermeasures and vaccines, as well as its de facto pro-Russia position following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The party has also benefited from the re-emergence of irregular migration as a political issue, as well as Europe's energy and inflationary crises.
The FPÖ has faced internal tensions, with party leader Heinz-Christian Strache (from 2005 to 2019) resigning in 2019 due to the Ibiza affair, in which he was caught on tape offering government contracts to a woman he believed to be a Russian oligarch's relative. The party has also been criticised for employing terms and jargon originated by the Nazis. Despite this, the FPÖ has effectively normalised far-right ideas and policy positions in the Austrian public sphere and political system.
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The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP)
The ÖVP has been a major force in Austrian politics since its founding, and it has been represented in the Federal Assembly ever since. In the 1945 Austrian legislative election, the ÖVP won a landslide victory, taking almost half the popular vote and an absolute majority in the legislature. The ÖVP remained in a coalition with the SPÖ until 1966 and governed alone from 1966 to 1970.
In 1999, the ÖVP formed a coalition with the right-wing populist Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which caused outrage in Europe due to the FPÖ's controversial nature. The ÖVP has been criticised for elevating the FPÖ to governing positions and adopting some of its ideas, particularly on immigration. Despite this, the ÖVP has maintained its position as one of the strongest parties in Austria, and it has consistently led or been a partner in most federal cabinets.
In recent years, the ÖVP underwent a change in its image under Sebastian Kurz, adopting the colour turquoise and the alternate name The New People's Party (Die neue Volkspartei). The ÖVP formed a coalition with the FPÖ again in 2017, but this collapsed due to the Ibiza affair, leading to the 2019 election. The ÖVP then formed a new coalition with The Greens. Kurz resigned the chancellorship in October 2021 due to a corruption inquiry. As of January 2025, the acting leader of the ÖVP is Christian Stocker.
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The Ibiza scandal
The scandal was triggered on 17 May 2019, by the publication of a secretly recorded video of a meeting in Ibiza, Spain, in July 2017. In the video, Strache and Gudenus appeared receptive to proposals by a woman calling herself Alyona Makarova, who was posing as a niece of Russian businessman Igor Makarov. They discussed providing the FPÖ with positive news coverage in return for government contracts. Strache and Gudenus resigned the day after the video broke, and Strache was later convicted of corruption.
The scandal caused the collapse of the Austrian governing coalition and the announcement of an early election. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, of the centre-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), called snap elections for September 2019, and he himself was ousted by parliament in a vote of no confidence on 27 May 2019. A caretaker government was appointed on 28 May 2019.
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The Covid-19 pandemic
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), a far-right political group, capitalised on the government's struggles during this time. FPO leader Herbert Kickl opposed Covid-19 restrictions such as lockdowns and moved his party closer to right-wing extremist groups. Kickl referred to the government's anti-Covid measures as a "Corona dictatorship" and spread conspiracy theories about climate change.
The FPO's anti-establishment stance and rejection of Covid-19 restrictions resonated with a significant portion of the Austrian population, who felt that the government had mishandled the pandemic. This sentiment was reflected in the 2024 Austrian election, where the FPO won the most votes, receiving approximately 29% of the vote in September's parliamentary election.
However, despite their electoral success, the FPO faced challenges in forming a viable government. The conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) resisted forming a coalition with the FPO, describing Kickl as an extremist and conspiracy theorist. The OVP disagreed with several FPO proposals, including paying damages to those "harmed" by Covid-19 legislation.
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Anti-immigration sentiment
Austria's shift towards right-wing politics is influenced by various factors, including anti-immigration sentiment, which has been a prevalent issue in the country. Located along the migratory Balkan route, Austria has experienced a significant influx of asylum seekers in recent years, with 112,272 asylum applications lodged in 2022, surpassing the numbers during the migration crisis in 2015. This has fueled anti-immigration sentiments among certain segments of the Austrian population.
The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), a right-wing populist party, has capitalized on these sentiments by adopting a hardline stance against immigration and asylum seekers. The party's leader, Herbert Kickl, has made controversial statements, declaring that Austria will "no longer accept any asylum applications" under their rule. The FPÖ has a history of employing Nazi jargon and has been criticized for its xenophobic and anti-Semitic rhetoric.
The opposition's failure to address the concerns of voters effectively has also contributed to the rise of the far right. The social democrats, the largest opposition party in the Austrian parliament, have struggled with internal conflicts, weakening their ability to provide a strong alternative to the FPÖ's messaging. As a result, the FPÖ has been able to attract voters who feel their concerns about immigration are not being adequately addressed by more centrist parties.
Additionally, the Austrian government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy and inflationary crises resulting from the Russia-Ukraine War have further bolstered support for right-wing parties. The FPÖ, for example, has capitalized on opposition to COVID-19 countermeasures and skepticism toward vaccines. They have also leveraged Austrian neutrality to adopt a de facto pro-Russia position, appealing to those who oppose European support for Ukraine.
It is important to note that while anti-immigration sentiment has played a significant role in the rise of the far right in Austria, it is not the sole factor. The normalization of far-right ideas, the influence of conservative elites, and the perception of traditional Austrian values and cultural identity have also contributed to the shift.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria has a history of right-wing politics, with the country's conservative People's Party (ÖVP) founded in 1945 and repeatedly forming coalitions with the Freedom Party (FPÖ), a right-wing populist party. The FPÖ has its roots in the post-war Nazi Party and has enjoyed high popularity over the years, despite scandals and a brief loss of credibility. The normalisation of far-right ideas and the failure of the left to provide effective opposition have contributed to the rise of the right in Austria.
Several factors have contributed to the rise of the right in Austria, including the government's unpopularity, a weak economy, and the country's immediate bleak prospects. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, economic insecurities, and high immigration numbers have also played a role in shifting public opinion towards the right.
The FPÖ is a major right-wing populist party in Austria that has effectively normalised far-right ideas and policy positions. The party has benefited from a series of political circumstances, including opposing COVID-19 measures and vaccines, adopting a pro-Russia stance, and capitalising on concerns around migration and inflation.
The left in Austria has struggled to provide effective opposition to the rise of the right. The Social Democrats, the largest opposition party, have been marked by intra-party struggles and have failed to address the issues underlying far-right support. Progressives must offer convincing arguments and demonstrate their ability to provide effective solutions to pressing public concerns.
The potential formation of a populist right-wing government in Austria contributes to a broader trend of European democracies moving towards right-wing populism. This shift has implications for Austria's relationships with other countries, as seen in the symbolic sanctions imposed by the EU during the FPÖ-ÖVP coalition in 2000.
