Austria's far right poised for historic win in national vote

Austria’s far-right was ahead of the ruling conservatives in Sunday’s national vote, according to projections published by public broadcaster ORF, setting them up for a historic win.

According to projections based on postal voting and vote counts from stations that closed earlier Sunday, the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) stood at 29.1 percent of votes, against 26.2 percent for the conservative People’s Party.

The Eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO held a slim lead in opinion polls for months over Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party (OVP) in a campaign dominated by immigration and worries about the economy.

Led by Herbert Kickl, the FPO was projected to secure 29.1% of the vote, ahead of the OVP on 26.2%, and the centre-left Social Democrats on 20.4%, a projection by pollster Foresight for broadcaster ORF showed after polls closed.

A separate projection by pollster Arge Wahlen also had the FPO coming first, winning by around 4 percentage points. The winner will fall short of an absolute majority, but will claim the right to lead a coalition.

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If confirmed, Kickl’s victory may prove pyrrhic, as the 55-year-old is a polarising figure under whom other party leaders have refused to serve. He has given no indication so far he could step aside to ensure his party leads the government.

“What’s at stake is whether the FPO will appoint the chancellor or not,” Kathrin Stainer-Haemmerle, political science professor at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.

“Should that happen, then I have to say the role of Austria in the European Union would be significantly different. Kickl has often said that (Hungarian Prime Minister) Viktor Orban is a role model for him and he will stand by him.”

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With inputs from agencies.