Austrians were yesterday voting in a watershed election tipped to see conservative Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz, 31, become the EU’s youngest leader and form an alliance with the far-right, in the bloc’s latest populist test.
A rightward shift in the wealthy EU member of 8.75 million people would be a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Britain’s decision to leave and the rise of nationalists in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.
However, all signs indicate that Austrians, fed up with a record influx of asylum-seekers, want to swap the gridlocked centrist rule for a more hardline government for the first time in a decade.
Photo: Reuters
The People’s Party (OeVP), rebranded by Kurz as a “movement,” is forecast to reap more than 30 percent of the vote with pledges to go tough on refugees and easy on taxes.
The euroskeptic Freedom Party (FPOe) is battling for second place with the beleaguered Social Democrats (SPOe) of incumbent Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern.
Kurz — who as new OeVP leader forced the snap vote in May by ending the coalition with Kern — has yanked his party to the right and is expected to seek a coalition with the far-right.
Founded by ex-Nazis in the 1950s, the FPOe last year almost won the presidency and topped opinion polls in the midst of Europe’s refugee crisis.
Then Kurz came along and stole votes with his hardline OeVP makeover, prompting FPOe chief Heinz-Christian Strache to call him an “imposter.”
However, Austrian media yesterday reported that both parties were already involved in behind-the-scene talks, with the OeVP putting a “generous offer” on the table.
Meanwhile, the once-mighty SPOe could be flushed into opposition after their promising campaign suffered blunders and scandals.
Open dislike between ex-railway chief Kern, 51, and Kurz also makes any new attempt at ruling together seem unlikely.
However, for some voters, the prospect of a far-right alliance is problematic.
“I’m not sure that we really need big changes,” Tina Ernest told reporters at a Vienna polling station. “I would say that in Austria we still live in paradise.”
Kern, in office since May last year, on Saturday issued a final warning against a right-wing alliance, saying “Austria was at the most important crossroads in decades.”
The OeVP and FPOe already shared power between 2000 and 2007. At the time the alliance with the far-right — then led by the late, SS-admiring Joerg Haider — ostracized Austria.
However, there would not be the same backlash now, owing to the “normalization of the far-right in Europe since then,” said Pepijn Bergsen at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
About 6.4 million people are eligible to vote in the closely watched ballot which is expected to be a tight race.
“I’m feeling optimistic,” OeVP volunteer Michael Brandstetter told reporters in Vienna ahead of the vote. “The way Kurz goes about things is what has captured people’s minds.”
For his turquoise movement, Kurz drew young candidates from outside politics and vowed to put “Austrians first” again.
As foreign minister, Kurz claims credit for closing the Balkan refugee trail last year, earning him praise at home.
Pushing far-right themes, he wants to cut benefits for all foreigners, slash Austria’s red tape and keep the EU out of national affairs.
Experts say a right-wing government could turn Austria into a tricky partner for the bloc.
Vienna is to hold the EU’s presidency in the second half of next year, just when Brussels wants to conclude Brexit talks.
“The Freedom Party as a government partner will not make a good impression in Europe [and] Kurz is aware of that,” newspaper Der Standard said in its weekend edition.
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