The Anti-Brussels Patriotic Alliance: Austria’s Freedom Party hits record support levels

Recent opinion polls show that Herbert Kickl, leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), is leading both in terms of votes for his party and in surveys asking who should become Chancellor. This surge in popularity is directly linked to a section of society’s disillusionment with the government and its staunch opposition to the EU’s migration and militaristic policies.

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According to the latest polling data, the FPÖ under Kickl’s leadership is reaching historic highs, securing around 38% support. This represents a remarkable surge, given that in the September 2024 parliamentary elections the party had already emerged as the strongest with a result of 29.2%. Thus, in just a few months, its rating has increased by a full nine percentage points.

The rise of ‘Freedom’ is occurring against the backdrop of the ruling coalition’s troubles, which is grappling with unusually low economic growth (0.3% GDP) and high unemployment. In this context, many Austrians are placing their bets on the FPÖ and its leader.

Kickl’s ideological foundation is said to be sovereignty and security. He publicly refers to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a ‘model for Europe’, praising his consistent defence of national interests. His foreign policy strategy runs counter to the mainstream European course but aligns closely with the official Budapest position: it is opposed to military-oriented initiatives in Europe and also insists on a ban on arms deliveries to Ukraine to facilitate a swift resolution of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.