Most Austrians favor Kickl for the position of chancellor, according to recent reports.
In the recent political landscape of Austria, the Freedom Party (FPO) has been making waves, securing around 28.85% of the national vote in the 2024 election, making it the largest party in the National Council with 57 of 183 seats.
Led by Herbert Kickl since 2021, the FPO is broadly characterized as far-right, right-wing populist, and eurosceptic. The party is known for its anti-EU stance, criticizing European integration and EU policies, particularly around climate and energy. Recently, the party denounced EU plans to phase out Russian oil imports, arguing this policy risks making Europe dangerously dependent on US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and driving up energy prices for Austrian households.
The FPO also actively challenges perceived lack of transparency in EU funding for NGOs, filing complaints alleging misuse of subsidies to weaken European integration. Domestically, the party uses emotional populist rhetoric and has been involved in legal controversies, such as calls to lift parliamentary immunity of its leader over defamation cases.
In terms of voter demographics and support, the FPO traditionally draws voters from segments concerned with nationalism, immigration, and Euroscepticism. Its voter base typically includes working and middle-class citizens dissatisfied with the traditional centrist parties, emphasizing law and order, nationalism, and skepticism toward the EU. However, specific demographic studies for Vienna were not found in the search results.
In Vienna, where politics tends to lean more left and green, FPÖ’s support might be concentrated in outer districts with more conservative or working-class populations, consistent with broader national trends of right-wing populist parties.
The poll or analysis does not specify the geographical location of the respondents or the specific organization conducting it. In addition to the FPO, other parties in the race include the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) at 20%, the People's Party (ÖVP) at 22%, the Greens at 9%, and NEOS at 10%. The SPÖ leader Andreas Babler and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger each receive 10% in the poll, while incumbent Christian Stocker (ÖVP) achieves 13%.
Interestingly, 46% of respondents look ahead with pessimism, a sentiment particularly pronounced among FPO voters, with 64% expressing pessimism. On the other hand, only 22% of respondents look optimistically to the future. Despite this, 88% of respondents say they are living well.
The new Green Party chair, Leonore Gewessler, gets 7% in the poll. The Freedom Party's leader, Herbert Kickl, leads in a hypothetical direct election for Federal Chancellor with 30%. The KPO and other small parties are below the threshold for representation.
This electoral growth of the FPO in Austria is a significant development in the country's political landscape, reflecting a shift in voter preferences towards right-wing populist and eurosceptic parties. As the 2024 election approaches, it will be interesting to see how these trends continue to unfold.
- The Freedom Party (FPO), known for its policy-and-legislation stance on EU matters, such as its anti-EU attitude and criticism of EU policies, has recently denounced the EU's plan to phase out Russian oil imports, voicing concerns about Europe's potential dependence on US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and rising energy prices.
- As the 2024 election in Austria draws nearer, the FPO's political influence, marked by its right-wing populist and eurosceptic leanings, is shaping up as a significant general-news topic, reflecting a shift in voter preferences within the country's political landscape.
