Austria may be getting a far-right chancellor. Here’s what to know.

Austria’s president on Monday tasked Herbert Kickl, the outspoken leader of the far-right Freedom Party in the Alpine country, with the task of trying to form a government coalition, three months after the party won the largest number of votes in a general election.

“Kickel is confident that he can find workable solutions in the context of government negotiations, and wants that responsibility,” President Alexander van der Bellen said during a five-minute speech after his meeting with Mr. Kickl.

The president’s request sets in motion a process that could make Mr. Kickl, an anti-immigrant who has vowed to make the country a “fortress,” Austria’s first far-right chancellor later this year.

What led to this?

Freedom Party Finished first In the September 29 elections, with approximately 30% of the vote, but it was far short of a majority. Despite winning at the polls, it initially appeared as if the party, Founded by former Nazis in the 1950swill not be part of the new government because the main parties have refused to work with Mr Kickl, whom they described as a danger to democracy.

Karl Nehammer, Chancellor and head of the conservative Austrian People’s Party, which came in second place with 26.5 percent, was first tasked by President Van der Bellen with trying to form a government. Chancellor Nehammer reached out to the center-left Social Democrats and the emerging Neus party to try to reach an agreement to form a coalition government. But they were unable to overcome their differences on key budget issues, and late last week, first Neuss, then the Social Democrats, withdrew from the talks.

Nehammer announced on Saturday that he would resign from his position as advisor and party leader. Christian Stocker, who was hastily elected as party leader, then announced that the People’s Party, known as the ÖVP, would be open to coalition talks with the Freedom Party, despite promises he had made during the election campaign.

What is the Freedom Party?

The party was founded shortly after World War II by former members of the SS, the Nazi paramilitary police. The party introduces Mr. Keckel using “Volkskanzler,” a German word meaning people’s advisor, before campaign speeches, which invoke the rise of German fascism and Adolf Hitler.

It has a history of denigrating immigrants in Austria, describing them as criminals and welfare sponges. Under the slogan “Austria Castle“, Mr. Kickl called for a temporary moratorium on accepting new asylum seekers and for a law preventing them from becoming Austrian citizens.

The party is also close to Moscow – it signed A Cooperation contract With President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party in 2016 – he opposes providing aid to Ukraine to support its defense against a Russian invasion. She also opposed imposing sanctions on Russia. Given the country’s constitutional neutrality, the party also opposes Austria joining NATO.

The party has participated in the national government five times already, but has always been a relatively weak junior partner. Mr. Kickel was Minister of the Interior from 2017 until 2019, when A A scandal involving one of Mr. Kickle’s predecessors The party leader forced the Conservative Chancellor at the time to end this coalition. The party was also in a statewide coalition with the Conservatives.

What are the possible outcomes for the Austrian government?

Although the Conservatives and the Freedom Party differ on some basic points, such as their views on the Russian war in Ukraine, they overlap on many other points. Experts believe that reaching a coalition agreement – which defines the government’s intended program – between the two right-wing parties will be easier to reach than the previous attempt with parties from across the political spectrum. Such talks usually take weeks or even months in Austria.

Mr Kickl has insisted since the election that he should lead the government. Since the Freedom Party has the largest number of seats in the 183-seat parliament – 57 compared to the Conservatives’ 51 – it has the right to demand his appointment as chancellor.

If the parties cannot find common ground, the president will have to call new elections, because no other group of parties can form a majority. Holding a new vote so quickly would be extremely rare for Austria.

Why is it important?

Mr Kickl will become Austria’s first far-right chancellor since the end of World War II. While voters in many European countries have drifted to the right, few leaders have been as outspoken against immigrants and foreigners as he is, something that is sure to heighten tensions between Austria’s EU partners. (Since becoming Prime Minister of Italy in 2022, Giorgia Meloni has held her position She distanced herself from her far-right pastAnd compatibility with the Western trend on major international issues. By contrast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – who visited Vienna last year at the invitation of the Freedom Party – has been at odds with his own party. My fellow European Union leaders for years due to his right-wing nationalist positions).

Although Austria has a population of only 9.1 million citizens, its location near the geographical center of the European Union and its trade relations, especially with Germany, the bloc’s largest economy, give the country great importance.

What was the reaction?

Several hundred people protested in front of the Hofburg, the presidential palace in central Vienna, where Mr. van der Bellen and Mr. Kickl met on Monday. They carried banners warning against right-wing extremism and chanted, “Never again to Volkskanzler.”

Muslim and Jewish groups expressed concern after the national elections in September. Oskar Deutsch, head of the Vienna Jewish community, said the Freedom Party’s success was a “threat” to many in his community.