Austria's Right-Wing Freedom Party Wins General Election
Austria's Right-Wing Freedom Party Wins General Election
The Facts
Austria's right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) won the most votes in national elections for the first time ever on Sunday, becoming the largest group in parliament but still short of a majority.
According to official preliminary results, FPÖ finished first, at 29.2%, trailed by the ruling center-right People's Party (ÖVP) and the center-left Social Democrats (SPÖ), at 26.5% and 21%, respectively.Under the leadership of Herbert Kickl, a former interior minister, the FPÖ campaigned on a platform that includes curbing migration in the country and being neutral in foreign conflicts.
The Spin
RightVoters have had their say in Austria — and they have chosen FPÖ. Mainstream parties, however, are set to form a grand coalition to leave the election winner out of government in disregard of the will of the people. They may well claim that the FDÖ is a threat to democracy, but it's them who doesn't understand how democracy works.
LeftThis was the most important election in Europe this year, and the results are quite concerning as the neofascist FPÖ won most seats in parliament. If the FPÖ ends up agreeing to build a coalition government with its longtime partner ÖVP, Austria would be in dire straits under a far-right leadership. Hopefully, Kickl will be rejected as chancellor.
