Europe’s far right will look at Austria and say: this is how we do it

Recent election results confirm a broader pattern of far-right normalisation in Europe in general, and in Austria in particular, but it should not come as a surprise

While the far-right party’s leader, Herbert Kickl, heralded the victory of his Austrian Freedom party as the beginning of 'a new era', it is better understood as a seemingly unavoidable progression. Photo: AP/Andreea Alexandru

While Europe may be “sleepwalking into a far-right trap”, Austria is consciously walking straight into it. After all, polls had predicted the most recent electoral success of the Austrian Freedom party (FPÖ) for almost two years. 

While the far-right party’s leader, Herbert Kickl, heralded its victory as the beginning of “a new era”, it is better understood as a seemingly unavoidable progression. If anything, the country’s recent election results confirmed a broader pattern of far-right normalisation in Europe in general and in Austria in particular.