Austrian poll has EU on edge
FRESH HEADACHE ON THE CARDS FOR BRUSSELS AFTER BREXIT
Austrians were voting yesterday in a watershed election tipped to see conservative Sebastian Kurz, 31, become the EU’s youngest leader and form an alliance with the farright, in the bloc’s latest populist test.
A rightward shift in the wealthy European Union member of 8.75 million people would be a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Britain’s decision to leave and the rise of nationalists in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.
However, all signs indicate that Austrians, fed up with a record influx of asylum seekers, want to swap the gridlocked centrist rule for a more hardline government for the first time in a decade.
The People’s Party (OVP), rebranded by “whizz kid” Kurz as a “movement”, is forecast to reap more than 30% of the vote with pledges to go tough on migrants and easy on taxes.
The Eurosceptic Freedom Party (FPO) is battling for second place, with the beleaguered Social Democrats (SPO) of incumbent Chancellor Christian Kern also in the running.
Kurz – who as new OVP leader forced the snap vote in May by ending the coalition with Kern – has yanked his party to the right and is now expected to seek a coalition with the far-right.
Founded by ex-Nazis in the ’50s, the FPO almost won the presidency last year and topped opinion polls in the midst of Europe’s migrant crisis.
Then Kurz came along and stole votes with his hardline OVP makeover, prompting FPO chief Heinz-Christian Strache to call him an “imposter”.
But Austrian media reported yesterday that both parties were already involved in behind-thescene talks, with the OVP putting a “generous offer” on the table.
Meanwhile, the once-mighty SPO could be flushed into opposition after their promising campaign that suffered blunders and scandals.
Open dislike between ex-railway chief Kern, 51, and Kurz also makes any new attempt at ruling together seem unlikely.
But for some voters, the prospect of a far-right alliance is problematic.
“I’m not sure that we really need big changes,” Tina Ernest told AFP at a Vienna polling station yesterday.
“I would say that in Austria we still live in paradise.”
Kern, in office since last May, issued a final warning on Saturday against a right-wing alliance, saying “Austria was at the most important crossroads in decades”.
The OVP and FPO already shared power from 2000 to 2007.
At the time the alliance with the far-right – then led by the late SS-admiring Joerg Haider – ostracised Austria.
But there would not be the same backlash now, owing to the “normalisation of the far-right in Europe since then”, said expert Pepijn Bergsen at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
About 6.4 million people are eligible to vote in the closely run election.
“I’m feeling optimistic,” OVP party volunteer Michael Brandstetter said. – AFP