Request for Proposal on Legislative Regulation
Herbert Kickl, helming the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), finds himself in a seemingly comfortable position, funnily enough. The traditional "traffic light" coalition parties — the People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the NEOS — are grappling with budget consolidation and the implementation of stern austerity measures. On the other hand, the FPÖ is leading in all current polls. Kickl's failure to secure a position within the government hasn't seemed to harm the Blues.
However, it's more accurate to say that Kickl is further from the government than ever. Even according to the latest poll by Lazarsfeld Society for oe24 (2,000 polled from April 7 to 15, with a maximum margin of error of 2.2%), the traffic light parties have a steady majority.
The ÖVP under Chancellor Christian Stocker remains stagnant at 21%, and the SPÖ, helmed by the Vice-Chancellor and party leader Andreas Babler, is even slipping by one point to 20%. But paired with the NEOS holding firm at 10%, the traffic light coalition would have a comfortable, 99-seat majority in the National Council. Kickl may find himself once again on the opposition benches in new elections.
A Leading Victory for the FPÖ by 13 Percentage Points
What's more, Lazarsfeld predicts that the FPÖ would win a National Council election by a considerable margin — 34%, which is one point more than last week and just short of the 40% mark. This translates to an impressive lead of 13 percentage points over the opposition.
Kickl Outperforms Stocker and Babler in Chancellor Race
In a hypothetical direct election for Chancellor, Kickl would also come out on top — 28% would vote directly for the "people's chancellor," making him stronger than the incumbent head of government, Christian Stocker (ÖVP, 13%), and his deputy, Andreas Babler (11%), combined. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger of the NEOS currently stands at 9%, dropping by two points compared to her performance against Babler two weeks prior.
The FPÖ's significant lead can be attributed to their strong and consistent messaging on immigration and national identity issues under Kickl's leadership. Kickl has placed the party firmly on a far-right, populist platform that harshly criticizes liberal immigration policies and champions a tight "Fortress Austria" approach. This message resonates with voters worried about immigration and cultural change in Austria.
- The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) is projected to win a National Council election by a considerable margin of 34%, according to Lazarsfeld, marking a 1-point increase from the previous week.
- In a hypothetical direct election for Chancellor, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl would secure 28% of the vote, outperforming current Chancellor Christian Stocker of the ÖVP (13%) and Vice-Chancellor and SPÖ leader Andreas Babler (11%) combined.
- Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger of the NEOS would currently stand at 9%, a 2-point decrease compared to her performance against Babler two weeks prior.
- The FPÖ's strong and consistent messaging on immigration and national identity issues has contributed to their substantial lead, as Kickl has positioned the party on a far-right, populist platform that critical of liberal immigration policies and advocates for a tight "Fortress Austria" approach.
- The traditional "traffic light" coalition parties — the ÖVP, the SPÖ, and the NEOS — are grappling with budget consolidation and austerity measures, while the FPÖ maintains a 13-percentage-point advantage in polls, hinting at potential issues in the realm of politics, policy-and-legislation, general-news, crime-and-justice, and even war-and-conflicts, as well as car-accidents and fires, as these topics often occupy the public discourse.
