Austria Far Right Eyes Historic Victory In Tight Polls
https://www.barrons.com/news/austria-fa ... s-7dafcd0aSeptember 27, 2024
Austria's general election on Sunday is shaping up to be a close race which could see the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) win for the first time, beating the ruling conservatives.
In line with other European far-right parties, the radical FPOe has seen its popularity surge in recent months.
The FPOe has been part of past Austrian coalitons, but it may not find partners to lead a government, even if it comes first on Sunday.
"It is a time of change. In the past years the FPOe has never been that strong," Johanna Irrenfried, 32, an orthoptist from Vienna, told AFP.
Cementing the FPOe's image as an anti-establishment party, its leader Herbert Kickl has campaigned on slogans such as "Courageously try something new" and fed on voter anger over migration, inflation and Covid restrictions.