By Dave Graham
VIENNA (Reuters) – Political parties on the European right celebrated Sunday’s parliamentary election victory by Austria’s Freedom Party (FPO) as a boost for national conservatives amid advances by the hard right fuelled by worries about immigration.
Led by Herbert Kickl, who capitalised on a misfiring economy and concerns that Austria has taken in people faster than it can integrate them, the FPO won around 29% of the vote, a record result that may give it a platform to lead the next government.
Kickl must find a partner to form a stable coalition and he is loathed by other party leaders, who have refused to serve under him and quickly began discussing the possibility of sounding out alternatives to an FPO-led government.
But there were warm words from allies in Europe, where the FPO forms part of a right-wing group inside the European Parliament led by France’s far-right National Rally (RN).
Its leader Marine Le Pen expressed delight at the victory and said it showed those parties were advancing.
“After the Italian, Dutch and French elections, this tidal wave which supports the defence of national interests, the safeguarding of identities and the resurrection of sovereignties, confirms the triumph of the people everywhere,” Le Pen wrote in a post on X.
Bjoern Hoecke, one of the leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), called the FPO’s win a “sensation” and said on X: “The FPO victory isn’t just a victory for Austria – it extends far beyond the borders of the Alpine republic and is a good sign of progress for Europe.”
The win by the Eurosceptic FPO could sow division within the European Union over foreign policy areas such as support for Ukraine against Moscow’s invasion of the country.
Kickl opposes sending aid to Kyiv and critics of the RN and other parties in the right-wing Patriots for Europe group, the third-largest in the European parliament, often argue they have been too soft on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Earlier this year Kickl sealed an alliance with the Fidesz party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has frequently blocked or delayed major EU decisions such as sanctions against Russia and aid for Ukraine.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook: “What a weekend!! After the Czech Republic, another victory for the Patriots across the border… No war, no migration and no gender propaganda!”
Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders, whose PVV party leads the Dutch government, responded to the FPO victory on X by saying: “We are winning! Times are changing! Identity, sovereignty, freedom and no more illegal immigration/asylum is what tens of millions of Europeans long for!”
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of the co-ruling League party said in a statement the Austrian vote was “a historic day in the name of change.”
“To those who speak of the ‘extreme right’, let us remind them that in Vienna (as in almost all of Europe) there is only the desire for change by putting the values of work, family and security back at the centre,” he added.
(Reporting by Ingrid Melander, Alvise Armellini and Gergely Szakacs; Writing by Dave Graham, Editing by William Maclean)
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