Breaking from tradition, the populist Freedom Party will not be given a chance to form a government despite winning last month’s elections.
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen announced Tuesday that incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer would be granted the chance to form a new government, despite his centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) coming in second place at 26 per cent of the vote behind the Freedom Party of Austria’s (FPÖ) 29 per cent.
The 80-year-old president argued that even though tradition dictates that the winner be given the first crack at forming a coalition because the other parties have ruled out working with the anti-mass migration populist party, the only option would be to provide Nehammer an opportunity to band together with left-wing parties to form a government, Kronen Zeitung reports.
Like leaders of other so-called conservative parties in Europe, the Chancellor steadfastly ruled out a partnership with the Freedom Party following the September election, accusing leader Herbert Kickl of being a “conspiracy theorist.”
Therefore, to stay in power, Nehammer’s quote-unquote “conservative” party will need to partner with the leftist Social Democrats (SPÖ).
However, because a partnership between the two main establishment parties would only have a majority of one seat in the parliament, Nehammer will likely seek a third partner, either the liberal-globalist New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS) or the climate alarmist Green Alternative (GRÜNE).
Responding to being formally shut out of government despite winning the election, Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl said: “This may seem like a slap in the face to many of you. But I promise you: The last word has not yet been spoken. Today is not the end of the world.”
“On September 29, the majority of voters voted in favour of bringing Austria five good years. It was an unmistakable call for change and renewal. The situation our country has been brought into due to political mistakes is more than challenging, and the issues are on the table.
“I, therefore, see it today as I have done up to now: it is our political responsibility to keep our hand outstretched. We want to work for Austria and are prepared to take on responsibility.
“I am convinced that the beauty of democracy is that the implementation of the will of the voters can sometimes be slowed down, but ultimately, it cannot be prevented or stopped. You can count on us and me.”
The former leader of the Freedom Party, Heinz-Christian Strache, predicted that the establishment shut out of the populist party would only serve to strengthen their support in the country, predicting that there will be another “blue wave” in the next elections, referencing the Freedom Party’s colour.
Strache also argued that “Herbert Kickl will of course become a martyr” and that his successor will likely benefit politically by becoming the true opposition party of Austria.