‘Vicious cycle’: how far-right parties across Europe are cannibalising the centre right
GuardianFeb 02
Austrian Right, Center-Right Coalition Talks Collapse
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Above: The leader of Austria's right-wing Freedom party (FPOe) Herbert Kickl reacts on Feb. 12, 2025, to the failed coalition negotiations between FPOe and the Austrian People's Party (OeVP) at the FPOe headquarters in Vienna. Image copyright: Helmut Fohringer/Contributor/APA/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Austria's right-wing Freedom Party (FPO), which won 29% of the vote in September's parliamentary election, failed to form the country's first right-wing populist government since World War II after coalition talks with the conservative People's Party (OVP) collapsed on Wednesday.
The breakdown centered primarily on disagreements over key ministry control, particularly the interior and finance portfolios, with both parties refusing to compromise on these crucial positions.
The FPO's Eurosceptic stance, position on Russian sanctions, and challenges to EU court rulings created additional obstacles in reaching an agreement with the OVP, which demanded guarantees about Austria's role as a reliable EU partner.
The Spin
Left narrative
It's encouraging to see a moderate-right party like the OVP stand up to the far-right. As extremist parties grow in popularity across the continent — from Germany and the Netherlands to France and Sweden — it's up to the moderate conservative factions to stand up to those who wish to bring Europe back to the dark days of fascism. Most Europeans do not want the far-right to take over their lives, but they need common sense parties to fight for them.
Right narrative
So-called center-right parties like OVP are akin to the establishment Republicans in the US. Their job isn't to promote conservatism or what the people want but rather to be a controlled opposition pretending to fight back against the liberal regime. The FPO, meanwhile, represents what Austrians of all stripes truly want, which is a massive reduction in immigration and for their government to start prioritizing their needs.
