Party projected to beat centre-right People’s party by three points, surpassing expectations

Preliminary results from Austria’s general election showed the far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) winning the most votes for the first time in the postwar period as it rode a tide of public anger over migration and the cost of living. It was projected to beat the co-ruling centre-right People’s party (ÖVP) by three points, surpassing expectations.

Data reported on public television indicated the FPÖ, which campaigned hard on a pledge of “remigration” of undesired immigrants, had taken about 29.1% of the vote, comfortably ahead of the ÖVP of chancellor Karl Nehammer on 26.2%. The opposition Social Democratic party scored its worst ever result – about 20.4% – while the liberal NEOS drew about 8.8%. Despite devastating flooding this month from Storm Boris bringing the climate crisis to the fore, the Greens, junior partners in the government coalition, tallied just 8.6%.