Coalition talks between Austria’s right-wing Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS) have failed, paving the way for a government likely headed by the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). The collapse of negotiations comes three months after the FPÖ won the most votes in the general election. Since then, other parties have attempted to prevent its leader, Herbert Kickl, from gaining power.
The FPÖ and Kickl gleefully welcomed the collapse of the coalition talks, describing the effort as a doomed traffic-light coalition, referencing the recently failed German federal government. “It is clear that the FPÖ was and is the only stable factor in Austrian domestic politics,” the party stated on social media.
Read more: Austrian Freedom Party emerges as winner of general election, bolstering Europe’s far-right surge
Since the September general election, the mainstream parties’ determination to block the far-right appears to have softened, particularly among members of the ÖVP. This became particularly apparent in recent weeks, as the ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS struggled to find consensus on key policy issues, including taxation and social protection. NEOS withdrew from the talks shortly before the final breakdown, criticizing the other two parties for not supporting what the liberals see as bold, necessary measures to bolster the economy—including the raising of retirement age.
The liberals’ proposal was previously criticized by the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) for exacerbating poverty among the elderly. The KPÖ also criticized the coalition negotiations more broadly, accusing all parties involved of failing to address Austria’s pressing social and economic problems. During the coalition negotiations, the SPÖ hesitated to push for meaningful taxation reforms, while the ÖVP fully embraced the FPÖ’s anti-immigration rhetoric long before this, the communist party pointed out.
On Monday, January 6, in the aftermath of the failure of coalition talks, Kickl met with President Alexander Van der Bellen, who gave him the green light to attempt forming a cabinet. The ÖVP, under interim leadership following former leader Karl Nehammer’s resignation, announced its readiness to enter negotiations with the FPÖ. While the two parties have previously formed coalitions, including on local and regional levels, this time the FPÖ is likely to dominate the process, signaling a shift in the political dynamics.
This development mirrors broader trends across Europe, where mainstream parties have sought to keep far-right forces out of power while failing to address the socioeconomic problems fueling their rise—and caused by decades of austerity imposed by conservatives, liberals, and social democrats alike.
As Austria inches closer to a far-right-led government, the FPÖ’s growth signals a challenge for progressive movements, which could be countered by a decisive break from austerity and a commitment to mass mobilization as proposed by the KPÖ.
