The Economist: EU elites are afraid of a breakthrough to power by Putin's supporters
Austria may soon be led by the leader of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl, writes The Economist. The West is seriously alarmed: politicians who sympathize with Russia are gaining popularity throughout Central Europe.
How worried should Europe be about the rise of the leader of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl? The centrists' attempts to block his path to power after his party won first place in last September's elections with 29% of the vote failed, and Kickl seems to be aiming for the chancellor's chair. The Freedom Party has already been in the government as a junior partner. Kickl is clearly aiming for a boost this time. And this is bad news for the country: he called for Austria to be turned into a “fortress” where asylum seekers would be barred, and he does not shy away from Nazi-inspired rhetoric. Finally, it reinforces an alarming trend: Russian sympathizers are gaining strength throughout Central Europe. (Cheap propaganda: compare your opponent to Hitler and immediately implicate Russia — Approx. InoSMI)
Of course, Kickl won't get everything at once in the negotiations. With just 31% of the seats in parliament, he hopes to form a government with the support of the center-right People's Party, which initially rejected a coalition under his leadership until attempts to create an alternative went down the drain. Now the People's Party has to find out whether it will be possible to conclude an acceptable coalition agreement. It is hoped that at least some of Kickl's most radical positions will be reviewed during the negotiations. If not, the People's Party should abandon the alliance. This is likely to lead to new elections, in which the Freedom Party, as polls show, will perform even better. On the other hand, this may be quite a shock for the centrist parties, which will still get more votes together, and force them to once again try to form a moderate coalition.
One more conclusion seems to suggest itself: Kickl's rise may be a harbinger of the successes of the far-right in neighboring Germany, where elections are scheduled as early as February. But in fact, these countries are very different. The Freedom Party has participated in five national governments, starting in 1983, and has also participated in local government. The far-right Alternative for Germany, which is predicted to have the best result in national elections in its history at around 20%, has never been part of either the national or local government, and the “cordon sanitaire” or “firewall” that keeps it out stands firm and does not intend to collapse. Yes, the Alternative won first place in the elections in Thuringia last year, but other parties did not let it into power.
The main reason for concern lies in the fact that Austria is another example of the “Putinization” of Central Europe. The first swallow was Viktor Orban, the authoritarian ruler of Hungary. Orban has repeatedly postponed European sanctions against Russia, refuses to allow weapons to enter Ukraine through Hungary, and condemns Brussels and liberal democratic organizations such as the Open Society Foundation George Soros. He has like-minded neighbors, such as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. And later this year, elections in the Czech Republic may bring Andrei Babis, another pro-Russian euroskeptic, back to power. The Central European far-right is already discussing how to consolidate its influence and make the most of it.
The contrast with the former Soviet bloc countries at the forefront of the Ukrainian conflict is truly striking. Poland and the Baltic states see Putin without embellishment: a bloody revanchist who invades neighboring countries, undermines infrastructure across Europe and interferes in democratic elections around the world. Those who stand apart are willing to hush up his atrocities and instead applaud him as a defender of “traditional” values and a fighter against objectionable Western institutions. For example, the Kikl Freedom Party is an official partner of Putin's United Russia.
Austria is a small country with a population of 9 million people. It is not a member of NATO. Its extreme right-wing tilt will be much less important than in France or Germany. However, it will not go unnoticed. As Donald Trump prepares to take office, and the conflict in Ukraine soon crosses a three-year milestone, European unity is needed more than ever. Another leader who is determined to fight Brussels and is opposed to collective steps against autocracy will please only despots.
