Austria's right-wing populist party FPÖ emerges as the most powerful force in European elections.
In the last European elections, the OVP experienced a considerable decline - they had previously achieved almost 35% in the polls. Following the results, Chancellor Karl Nehammer acknowledged the electorate's discontent, vowing to adopt a firmer stance on illegal immigration, among other things.
Meanwhile, the FPO experienced a notable surge, gaining almost eight percentage points in their election results. Party leader Herbert Kickl described their performance as unprecedented and the dawn of a "new era of Austrian and European politics." They aim to capture the Chancellery in Vienna.
The upcoming Austrian parliamentary elections in September may witness a similar trend, with FPO leading the polls. The question of whether they'll secure coalition allies for government formation remains unclear.
The recent European elections in Austria coincided with the Ibiza scandal, wherein the FPO barely experienced any repercussions. In this incident, footage secretly recorded on Ibiza showed former FPO Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache allegedly offering state contracts for election support to a supposed Russian oligarch's daughter. The scandal triggered investigations against various politicians and eventually led to the ouster of then-Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (OVP).
Kickl, who assumed leadership of FPO in 2021, has been successful in recruiting new voters through his controversial stances on certain issues. He emerged as a vocal spokesperson for the anti-vaccination movement amidst pandemic lockdowns.
Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Kickl advocates for Austrian neutrality. He blasts the Austrian government's and EU's support of Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia.
FPO campaigns for the European elections displayed EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen engaged in a passionate embrace with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, enveloped by tanks and various military vehicles, with the catchphrase, "Stop EU madness!"
The FPO, an anti-immigration party, was established in the 1950s by ex-Nazis. They have been part of numerous Viennese governments since the 1980s, most recently pairing with the OVP between 2017 and 2019.
(P.S.: This paragraph details the simmering political unrest in Austria, as observed during the recent European elections and its connection to the Ibiza scandal. The FPO is fast gaining ground in the country's internal scene.)
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The SPÖ, Austria's social democratic party, saw a decline in their European election results, contrasting the FPÖ's prominent rise. The FPÖ's surge hints at a possible shift in political power during the upcoming Austrian parliamentary election in September. Despite the Ibiza scandal involving former FPO leaders, the party has continued to gain support. Kickl, the current FPÖ leader, has successfully attracted new voters with controversial stances on certain issues. Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Kickl advocates for Austrian neutrality and criticizes the EU's support of Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. The FPÖ, with its anti-immigration stance, has been influential in Austrian politics, forming coalitions with other parties such as the ÖVP since the 1980s.
