Monday, September 30, 2024

Far-right Freedom Party Finishes First in Austrian Election, Latest Results Suggest

THE GUARDIAN: Party wins 28.8% of votes ahead of centre-right People’s party’s 26.3%, according to near-complete count

The far right won the most votes in an Austrian election for the first time since the Nazi era on Sunday, as the Freedom party (FPÖ) rode a tide of public anger over migration and the cost of living to beat the centre-right People’s party (ÖVP).

The pro-Kremlin, anti-Islam FPÖ won 29.2% of votes, beating the ruling ÖVP of the chancellor, Karl Nehammer, into second place on 26.5%, according to near-complete results.

The opposition Social Democratic party scored its worst ever result – 21% – while the liberal NEOS drew about 9%. Despite devastating flooding this month from Storm Boris bringing the climate crisis to the fore, the Greens, junior partners in the government coalition, tallied 8.3% in a dismal fifth place. (+ video) » | Deborah Cole in Vienna | Monday, September 30, 2024

NYT: Far Right Wins Austrian Vote but May Fall Short of Forming a Government: The Freedom Party got nearly 30 percent of the national vote, but mainstream parties have vowed to join in a coalition government without the party’s pugilistic leader, Herbert Kickl. »