Austria: Far-right FPÖ wins parliamentary vote — projections

Polls have closed  in Austria on Sunday in a general election , with the first projections indicating the far-right landing a historic victory over the governing conservatives.

Projections by Institut Foresight put the FPÖ at over 29% of the vote, slightly ahead of the predictions based on the surveys ahead of the Sunday polls. The center-right conservatives led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer also scored better than expected, securing 26.2%, with center-left Social Democrats at 20.4%. 

The early projections were published minutes after the polls closed, with the actual results still to come.

Voting began at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT), with over 6.3 million people of Austria's 9 million residents eligible to vote.

Immigration concerns and an economic downturn have dominated the electoral landscape in the Alpine EU nation.

The growing popularity of the FPÖ

The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been in government several times but it has never topped a national vote.

That could change this time, though, with pre-election polls showing the anti-immigrant party could win the biggest share of votes with 27% support.

Herbert Kickl, a former interior minister, has been in charge of the FPÖ since 2021.

Under his abrasive leadership, the party — which was hit by a massive graft scandal in 2019 — has seen its popularity rebound on voter anger and anxieties over COVID restrictions, migration, inflation and the Ukraine war.

Kickl cast his vote on Sunday afternoon, saying he had "a good feeling" about the election outcome, adding that "the mood is right, and the right mood will turn into votes."

The far-right FPÖ has been led by longtime campaign strategist Herbert Kickl for the past three yearsImage: Erwin Scheriau/APA/dpa/picture alliance

How have the other parties faired in polls?

Polls had put the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer, in second place on 25%.

Nehammer voted on Sunday morning, telling reporters that he had felt a "strong voters' movement" in favor of his party.

The center-left Social Democrats (SPÖ), meanwhile, were polling on around 21%.

The Greens — who are currently in a ruling coalition with the conservatives — are predicted to gain 9%.

However, analysts say even if the FPÖ wins the most votes, it will likely not have enough seats or partners to form a government.

Polls put the conservative party of Chancellor Karl Nehammer slightly behind the FPÖImage: Eva Manhart/APA/dpa/picture alliance

The far-right party and the conservatives have not ruled out working together, but Nehammer has reiterated his refusal to work under Kickl.

But the FPÖ leader was evasive when asked by reporters if he was willing to step down for the good of his party. Kickl said he would "always accept the voters' decision, whatever happens."

A three-way coalition between the conservatives, Social Democrats and the liberal NEOS could also be a possibility.

The last polling stations are set to close at 7 p.m. local time. Projections based on postal voting and vote counts from stations that close earlier should be announced shortly after that.

dvv/nm (AFP, dpa)