Following failed coalition negotiations in Austria, a path to power is now opening up for the right-wing Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl. His political opponents consider the 56- year-old a "security risk,

The EU’s strategy to deal with the far-right Freedom Party heading for power in Vienna is … hope for the best.

Herbert Kickl on his way out of Vienna's Hofburg Palace following talks with Austria's president, Alexander Van der Bellen, earlier this month. | Credit: Joe Klamar / AFP / "Vienna could be about to get its first far-right leader since WWII,

Mr Kickl’s political hero is Viktor Orban, Hungary’s autocratic leader. But unlike Hungarian voters who first voted Mr Orban in, few Austrian voters seem enamoured with Mr Kickl. Only 2% of FPÖ voters in September said they voted for the party because of Mr Kickl, while 45% said they did so because of its policies.

If he comes to power, sharp-tongued, far-right leader Herbert Kickl will be contemporary Austria's most controversial chancellor.

The Freedom Party and its leader, Herbert Kickl, have steadily built support by demonizing immigrants, while entering Austria’s political mainstream.

The far-right Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), currently negotiating a coalition government in the Alpine state, are planning massive attacks on the working class and on migrants.

He is so abrasive that he has one of Austria's lowest personal approval ratings, but far-right chief Herbert Kickl's strategic cunning helped his party to its first ever national election win and he now has a chance to become its first chancellor.

Herbert Kickl, who now has good chances of becoming Austria's next chancellor, has radicalized the FPÖ in recent years. He seems to enjoy his role as the ultimate evil.

Austrian far-right leader Herbert Kickl and his prospective coalition partners say they have reached an agreement to bring down the budget deficit.

Even so, according to polls, the FPÖ will do still better if snap elections are held. Kronen Zeitung, Austria’s largest-circulation tabloid, published a poll on January 5th that put the FPÖ at 37% of the vote, which would give them around 40% of the seats in parliament. That should focus the minds of the ÖVP ’s negotiators. ■

Ever since Herbert Kickl's far-right Freedom Party edged a win in September's legislative elections with 29% of the vote, Austria's centrist politicians have tried to block Kickl from becoming ...