More than 6 million Austrians will be able to go to the polls today to vote in parliamentary elections as the far right heads to the polls.
HE Freedom Party (Austrian Freedom Party), also far rightappears to be most popular among voters interested in the issue migration, inflation And war in ukraine.
Herbert KicklThe former Interior Minister and longtime campaign strategist, who has led the party since 2021, wants to become Austria’s new chancellor. At a campaign rally on Friday, He asked for “forced migration” of illegal immigrants
“It is unacceptable that we have to protect our people from people who come here seeking protection.. So something is wrong with the system. That’s why we finally need forced migration. “I don’t even know why that word is so bad,” he said.
Kickl also released: argument using the term ‘Volkskanzler’ in the campaign or people’s chancellorused nazis describe Adolf Hitler In the 1930s.
Polls show Liberal Party nearly 28% of votesIt is well below the threshold for a decisive victory, and investment partners may be difficult to find. coalition.
chancellor Karl Nehammerwho’s? Austrian People’s Party (Österreichische Volkspartei) is ranked 2nd in the polls. 24%related to He refused to team up with Kickl He called on voters to vote for him to prevent the far right from coming to power.
“I made it clear with whom it is not possible to form a responsible and viable government. The current leader of the FPÖ (Freedom Party of Austria) does not meet these criteria. That’s why I dismissed him,” he said in a statement on Friday. in Vienna.
The rise of the Freedom Party after the 2019 scandal
Far-right Kickl has had a comeback since the last one Austrian elections In 2019. In June, Freedom Party For the first time in the presidential election, he received votes by a narrow margin across the country. European ParliamentThis also meant the victory of other European far-right parties.
In the 2019 elections, his support dropped to 16.2 percent. scandal Overthrowing a government in which he was a junior coalition partner. The then vice-chancellor and leader of the Freedom Party, Heinz Christian StracheHe resigned after his article was published secretly recorded video in which appearedOffering a favor to an alleged Russian investor.
Freedom Party also calls End of sanctions against Russia, criticism harshly Western military aid to Ukraine you Europe wants to withdraw from the Sky Shield InitiativeMissile defense project initiated by Germany.
Leader of the Social Democrats, a party that led most post-war Austrian governments World War IIpositioned himself as the exact opposite of Kickl.
Andreas BablerHe is also the mayor of the city of Traiskirchen. The largest refugee reception center in the countryThe management also rejected it. far right and tagged Kickl as: “Threat to democracy”.
“Politics has only one obligation: to focus on people’s reality and prioritize respect for people.. “The sole task of politics is to improve the conditions under which the majority of people in this country have to live,” he said at a campaign event on Saturday.
NEOS, Greens and BIER Party completed the top five.
NEOS It was founded ten years ago following a merger with . Forum Liberal and campaigned together Promise to hire 20,000 new teachersreducing citizens’ tax burdens and increasing political transparency.
ADVERTleader of the party, Beate Meinl ResingerHe said people of all ages are excited about what his party has to offer.
“We need to look forward, into the future and Let’s create optimism again “and the trust in Austria, we say things will get better and there will be a better future than the current one,” he said.
The Greens (Die Grünen), led by Werner Kogler, who is also Austria’s vice-chancellor, are almost tied in the polls with NEOS. He praised the team’s achievements at his party’s campaign rally on Friday. greens As a minor party in the ruling coalition.
“When did it happen The government team is very strong Of a parliamentary group in this republic? But now, of course, it’s about the future,” he told supporters in Vienna.
ADVERTAround 6.5 million Austrians They have the right to vote and voting ends at 17:00 local time.
