Two blue eyes

An FPÖ triumph, but no logical government

The Kickl-FPÖ celebrates a triumph in the 2024 National Council elections - but what does this mean for the country?

(Bild: APA/Helmut Fohringer)

Chancellor Karl Nehammer hoped to the last. In vain. The FPÖ is number one for the first time in the Second Republic. Herbert Kickl was able to maintain his lead in all polls over the past months and years and will now lay claim to the chancellorship. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen will have no choice but to give him a mandate to govern.

There was no longer any question of a predicted neck-and-neck race between the ÖVP and FPÖ on Sunday. The Freedom Party won the day with its harsh criticism of the Turkish-Green government and its massive rejection of the old corona policy, any form of immigration, greening and the Russia sanctions. The mood in the country was and is too strong for a clear voter endorsement of Nehammer and his ÖVP; it is the biggest ÖVP crash in history.

Who will go with Kickl?
The crucial question now is: will Herbert Kickl find a government partner or not? Nehammer had ruled out entering a government with him, let alone making him chancellor. If the ÖVP leader keeps this promise and stays in the saddle at the top of the party, as he was at least able to save second place, he would now have to forge a coalition against the election winner.

Commenting on the current political situation: "Krone" super press officer Rainer Nowak

(Bild: Reinhard Holl, Krone KREATIV)

However, this requires the active help of the second election loser: Andreas Babler has failed with his shift to the left and, like Nehammer for the ÖVP, is responsible for the worst result of the SPÖ in the Second Republic. He was neither able to unite the hopelessly divided Social Democrats nor, like Kickl, benefit from the mood of change as leader of the opposition. His plan to soak up far-left and center-left votes from the Greens, NEOS, KPÖ and others also clearly failed.

The next few hours and days will decide whether he will be able to remain at the top of the party and/or enter a coalition government with the ÖVP despite his minus. The leaders of the Viennese comrades are meeting at 10 p.m. for an extraordinary party presidium to discuss the difficult situation. The powerful trade union has already signaled that it wants to try to form a government with the ÖVP and the NEOS.

The most likely option
That leaves a mini-election winner: the NEOS could at least provide a breath of fresh air with their plus as number three in a government. This sugar-coalition of turquoise, red and pink would be a first and the only alternative to an FPÖ-led government with a completely changed, defeated ÖVP. As of Sunday evening, the Zuckerl coalition is still the most likely option. 

(Unless a small miracle happens and an ÖVP-SPÖ coalition with partly new heads also ends up with a very common mandate majority).