Thousands of people in Vienna protested against the far right

In Vienna on Thursday, October 3, mass demonstrations took place over the threat of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) to come to power. Thousands of demonstrators marched to urge Austria’s political parties, especially the ruling conservatives, not to form a coalition with the FPO, Reuters reported.

The FPO came first with 29% of the vote, but the lack of an absolute majority to lead the government necessitated the formation of a coalition.

Only the conservative People’s Party (OVP) with current chancellor Karl Nehammer have expressed their willingness to unite with the far right. At the same time, he set a condition: the head of the FPO, Herbert Kickl, should not join the government. The FPO insisted on his presence.

A crowd holding rainbow flags and slogans such as “Defend Democracy” gathered in front of the University of Vienna. The action ended at the walls of parliament. According to media reports, from 15 to 17 thousand people took part in it.

The Austrian People’s Party has twice formed FPO governments, but until now the far right was the junior partner in the coalition. This time, the OVP came second in the election.

President Alexander Van der Bellen, who oversees the formation of the government, is scheduled to meet with the leaders of all parliamentary parties on Friday. He has advised politicians to hold coalition negotiations.

At the same time, if the OVP were to join forces with the third-place Social Democrats, as well as with a smaller party such as the liberal Neos, it could become the leading force in the coalition.

Let’s remember that the FPO became the first far-right force to win an election since World War II. Leader Herbert Kickl has repeatedly opposed the provision of military aid to Ukraine and has also criticized sanctions against the Russian Federation.

The victory of the far right in Austria: the rebirth of an empire in the middle of Europe