Although the Liberal Party (FPÖ) leads the polls, which now give it 26% of the vote, governing will require a coalition in which the key is whether the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), its only possible partner, agrees to concede. The presidency of the government is handed over to ultra-leader Herbert Kickl.
Austria celebrate this Sunday parliamentary elections with the party ultranationalist FPÖ, member of the ‘Patriots for Europe’ group in the European Parliament, leads the polls with xenophobic and anti-system rhetoric in which many analysts see a risk to democracy.
Although the Liberal Party (FPÖ) has been leading in the polls for a year and a half, which now gives it 26% of the votes, its ability to govern will require a coalition in which the key is whether the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), its only possible partner , would agree to hand over the presidency of the government to the ultra-leader, Herbert Kickl.
It doesn’t seem like such a thing is very likely today, as the leader of the ruling and conservative People’s Party ÖVP, Karl Nehammerhas explicitly distanced itself from the ‘fear’ propagated by the leader of the ultra-nationalist FPÖ party, Herbert Kickl, and has reiterated his categorical refusal to form a government coalition after the elections with Kickl at the head of the FPÖ.
During a meeting at the ÖVP headquarters, Nehammer, acting Chancellor, emphasized that the ÖVP, unlike the ultranationalists, defends a policy of the center, stability and confidence in the future.
According to the latest polls, conducted after the recent devastating floods caused by Cyclone Boris in large parts of eastern Austria, the ÖVP (25%) has managed to come very close to the FPÖ (26%) in terms of voting intention.
Third in the polls is the social democratic party SPÖ, with between 21 and 22% of voting intentions, ahead of the liberal NEOS (12%).
According to local analysts, an extremis victory for the ÖVP makes a coalition between the ÖVP and the FPÖ more likely, as it would be easier for them to demand that Kickl not be part of the executive branch.
On the other hand, according to analysts, a narrow victory for the FPÖ could end in a tripartite coalition of the ÖVP with the SPÖ and the NEOS.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
