VIENNA — Herbert Kickl, the leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, saw his attempts to establish a coalition government with the conservative Austrian People’s Party break down on Wednesday. This collapse occurred more than four months after the Freedom Party emerged victorious in the national elections.
Kickl received a mandate from Austria’s president on January 6 to form a new government following failed attempts by other parties to establish a governing alliance that included the Freedom Party. However, discussions between Kickl’s party and the People’s Party have faced serious challenges in recent days, stemming from ongoing policy disagreements and disputes regarding ministerial allocations.
On Wednesday, Kickl communicated to President Alexander Van der Bellen that he was relinquishing his mandate, which would have marked the first national government led by the far-right faction since World War II. This announcement came after weeks of tense negotiations, during which media leaks indicated a rising distrust between the two parties.
The Freedom Party, known for its anti-immigration stance and euroskeptic views, including opposition to sanctions on Russia, won 28.8% of the votes in the parliamentary election held in September. Their success pushed Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s People’s Party into second place.
In October, President Van der Bellen tasked Nehammer with the initial opportunity to construct a government after his party declined to partner with Kickl’s Freedom Party. Other parties also expressed refusal to collaborate with the Freedom Party altogether. This initial round of negotiations did not yield results, leading Nehammer to resign in January, paving the way for interim Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg.
In a letter made public by his party, Kickl blamed the People’s Party for the breakdown of negotiations, stating that there was no consensus on resolving contentious policy matters or distributing various ministries. He conveyed his regret over stepping back but mentioned that negotiating with the center-left Social Democrats—being the Freedom Party’s only hope for a parliamentary majority—seemed futile. “Austria has no time to waste,” said Kickl.
Meanwhile, conservative leader Christian Stocker reiterated his party’s focus on key issues like maintaining Austria’s sovereignty, preventing unwarranted foreign influence, especially from Russia, and ensuring the nation remains a dependable partner within the EU while safeguarding liberal democracy.
Stocker emphasized that foreign partners had expressed concerns in recent months regarding potential collaboration with Austria’s intelligence agency if the Freedom Party gained control over the interior ministry. He firmly stated that compromising national security was unacceptable, attributing the failure of negotiations to Kickl’s “attitude.”
Concerns regarding the domestic intelligence agency arose back in February 2018 when foreign intelligence services halted the sharing of information with Austria following an unlawful police operation targeting the agency. There were fears that sensitive information could potentially be mismanaged, especially regarding Russia. A parliamentary investigation revealed that officials at the Interior Ministry, then managed by Kickl, played a pivotal role in advocating for the police operation.
The next steps forward remain uncertain, typically left to the president’s discretion. One possibility includes him appointing a caretaker government while a more stable solution is deliberated. Peter Filzmaier, a prominent political scientist in Austria, described the negotiations as devolving into a “bizarre drama” played out in public.
Both the Freedom Party and the People’s Party sought control of the Interior Ministry, citing concerns over Kickl’s past actions as the minister during the controversial 2018 raid. The Freedom Party’s campaign had focused heavily on tightening asylum and migration policy.
A confidential summary of the state of negotiations was leaked over the weekend, revealing considerable divisions between the two parties, particularly regarding foreign policy, security issues, and their stance on the European Union.
