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2024 EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

UPDATED: Austria’s far-right party tops EU elections

Austria's far-right FPOe party came first in the Alpine country's EU elections on Sunday, according to close-to-final results, marking the first time the group has won a nationwide ballot.

Published: 9 June 2024 21:46 CEST
Updated: 10 June 2024 08:02 CEST
UPDATED: Austria's far-right party tops EU elections
Top candidate for the election to the European Parliament Helmuth Brandstaetter of the NEOS party attends a television discussion in Vienna on June 9, 2024. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP)

The Freedom Party (FPOe) gained 25.7 percent of the votes, just ahead of the ruling conservative People’s Party (OeVP) which stood at 24.7 percent, results published by Austrian media showed with almost all the votes counted.

The Social Democrats (SPOe) followed in third place at 23.2 percent, trailed by the Greens — which currently rule Austria as junior partners of the conservatives — at 10.7 percent, down from 14 percent in 2019.

The conservatives slumped from the almost 35 percent they had gained in the last EU elections.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he had heard voters’ “message” and would seek to address their concerns ahead of national elections later this year, including cracking down on “illegal migration”.

The anti-immigrant FPOe’s share surged on the other hand — it was up from 17 percent in 2019, when the party suffered from a string of corruption scandals.

Taken over by radical leader Herbert Kickl in 2021, its success is attributed above all due to his rebellious Covid anti-vaccination stance.

On Sunday, Kickl, 55, hailed “the history that the voters have written” to open “a new era in politics in Austria and Europe”.

“This era is characterised by the fact that it is the people who are at the centre and not the disconnected elites of the system,” he told cheering supporters in downtown Vienna, adding the “next step is the chancellery”.

International media were barred from the party event, with the FPOe citing space restrictions.

The FPOe is also expected to top the vote in national elections expected to be held in September, but it remains to be seen if it can find partners to form a majority to govern.

The party — founded in the 1950s by former Nazis — has been part of a ruling coalition several times but has never governed.

During the pandemic, the party seized on anger over strict measures such as nationwide lockdowns and a mandatory vaccination law that was later scrapped.

On the war in Ukraine, Kickl has defended Austria’s neutrality, criticising the EU sanctions against Moscow.

During the campaign, the party put up posters showing European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen hugging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, urging voters to “stop the EU madness”.

In total, 6.4 million people were eligible to vote in Austria, which has 20 seats in the 720-seat EU parliament. Seven parties fielded candidates.

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POLITICS

Reader question: Can I vote in Austria’s national elections?

Austria’s national elections are scheduled for September 29th, but not everyone will have a say. Find out who can vote in these crucial elections and how foreigners can still make their voices heard.

Published: 20 September 2024 09:57 CEST
Reader question: Can I vote in Austria's national elections?

On September 29th, Austria will hold its highly anticipated national elections to elect a new parliament, marking a crucial moment for the country’s political future. 

The election comes at a time of growing political polarisation, with the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leading in the polls, followed closely by the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). The centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) remains in third place, trailing behind its rivals.

READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who could be the next chancellor?

As political tensions rise and critical issues like immigration and inflation dominate the discourse, these elections could significantly shift Austria’s political landscape. 

However, while the stakes are high, a large segment of the population won’t be able to vote, mainly because of Austria’s restrictive citizenship laws. 

Who can vote in Austria’s national elections?

The only people allowed to vote in Austrian federal elections are Austrian citizens aged 16 or above. This means foreigners – even those who have lived in Austria for decades – are not entitled to vote unless they have acquired Austrian citizenship. 

The country’s strict naturalisation process typically requires at least ten years of legal residence and a high income. Applicants must also give up their original nationality, as dual citizenship is rarely permitted.

While Austria is home to a large foreign-born population, many cannot participate in the political process. In Vienna, for example, as many as one in three residents of voting age cannot vote due to their non-Austrian citizenship. This leaves around 1.5 million people nationwide unable to vote in the upcoming elections, representing around 19 percent of the population aged 16 and over.

READ ALSO: What makes Austrian citizenship so hard to get?

How can foreigners “vote” in the elections?

A symbolic alternative for the many residents excluded from Austria’s national elections has been offered: the “Pass Egal” election, organised by the non-governmental organisation SOS Mitmensch. Since 2013, the Pass Egal election has given foreigners a platform to ‘vote’ and express their political preferences.

The Pass Egal election is open to anyone aged 16 or older who lives in Austria but does not have Austrian citizenship. Even Austrians who wish to show solidarity with non-voters can participate. This symbolic election gives a voice to those otherwise excluded from official polls, allowing them to vote for the parties running in the National Council elections.

In 2022, for example, more than 8,500 people from 86 countries participated in a mock election for federal president. 

While the vote doesn’t impact the actual elections, it highlights the political engagement of Austria’s foreign residents and adds visibility to the debate on voting rights and citizenship reform.

READ MORE: How foreigners can ‘vote’ in the Austrian national elections

What’s at stake in Austria’s national elections?

This year’s elections will shape the composition of Austria’s National Council and influence the country’s future political direction.

With the FPÖ leading in the polls, the possibility of a far-right resurgence is a crucial issue, while the ÖVP and SPÖ are working to gain ground in what is expected to be a highly competitive election.

For the large segment of Austria’s population that is excluded from voting due to the country’s citizenship laws, the Pass Egal election provides a way to engage politically, even if only symbolically. 

As the number of non-citizen residents in Austria grows, the debate over expanding voting rights to non-citizens and making the naturalisation process more accessible will continue.

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