Press review: “Austria is going back to the future”

The right-wing far-right party FPÖ has become the strongest force in the Austrian election; according to the preliminary election results, it is almost three percentage points ahead of the ruling ÖVP, which lost many votes. International media see the election results as the manifestation of a trend in Europe.

The Austrian elections are similar to the recent state elections in East Germany, writes the New York Timeswith a view to the AfD’s electoral successes there. “The tide of right-wing populism on the continent is increasing,” writes the newspaper. The Austrian elections are just one of several in which xenophobic parties were successful. Voters had turned their backs on the established parties out of fear of irregular migration, the war in Ukraine and the weakening economy. Nevertheless, she writes NYT: “The victory in the National Council election could turn out to be purely symbolic because the established parties have promised to form a coalition without them (the FPÖ).”

“Austria is going back to the future,” writes the US magazine Politically. It is the first time since the Second World War that a party with roots in Nazi ideology has won a national parliamentary election. The shift to the right in Austria is another worrying sign for Europe, suggesting that the recent upsurge of populist forces does not appear to be abating. The role model for the leading FPÖ representatives is Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has systematically dismantled democratic freedoms in his country. If the FPÖ manages to form a coalition, the European Union would be confronted with a Eurosceptic populist bloc, warns Politically.

Instability warning

The French newspaper Le Figaro Austria faces a difficult time forming a government. So far no one else is willing to form a coalition with the FPÖ party. Similar to Germany, it could result in a three-party coalition made up of the ÖVP, SPÖ and Liberals. However, this does not promise great stability, as experience in Germany has shown.

An “earthquake for Austria” states the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). With Herbert Kickl, a “radical ideologue” could now become head of government. There is no “fire builder” against the FPÖ. Nevertheless, a three-party alliance without the FPÖ is more likely than a government led by Kickl.

“In Austria it is a bitter reality what is coming to Germany from the east”

German media also consider the election results in the neighboring country to be historic. “The election result should be a warning, especially to those in Germany who hope that the AfD will contain the local right-wing populists – for example through participation in the government,” he commented Cologne City Gazette. Because in Austria it becomes clear what was previously noticed in this country and not least in the USA: scandals and misconduct do not harm populists. The success of the FPÖ is textbook proof of this, writes the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger with a view to the Ibiza affair involving the then FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache five years ago. What would have caused the downfall of a party in a healthy democracy was only enough in Austria to end its participation in government and a change at the top, the newspaper commented.

Also die Berlin morning post Considers it remarkable that after the Ibiza affair, a right-wing extremist party was able to become the strongest force in Austria for the first time since 1945. But party leader Herbert Kickl managed to rebuild the FPÖ with a strongly polarizing course. Kickl, “a kind of Alpine Höcke”, argues as radically as the Thuringian AfD leader. He has adopted its battle cry of “remigration” and is calling for the mass deportation of foreigners. The election victory of the FPÖ series is part of the upswing of right-wing populist parties in Europe. Stirring up resentment against the “political elites” is driving many voters to frustration and protest.

“The FPÖ, which is very far to the right, has long since become a central force in the Second Republic that shapes the country’s politics and can drive the other parties ahead of it.”: This is the conclusion reached Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “And this despite (or perhaps precisely because) it became more and more radicalized under Herbert Kickl and no longer only used the well-known xenophobic images, but also insulted political opponents and made no secret of its closeness to right-wing extremists.” In Austria is the longest bitter reality that has come over Germany from the east after the last state elections.