Latest news with #FPOe
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Far-right outlets shake up Austrian media
When Herbert Kickl announced that he had failed to form Austria's first far right-led government, two wildly different narratives of the coalition negotiations emerged in the media. While traditional news outlets reported that disagreements over key posts and other issues led to the failure, influential new far-right channel AUF1 blamed a plot by the "global elite". Kickl's far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) topped Austria's national election in September for the first time, winning almost 29 percent of the vote in a boost to Europe's burgeoning far right. In January, the party was tasked by the president with leading coalition talks with the conservatives. But negotiations collapsed this month, and three pro-European parties have since resumed coalition talks. With the FPOe demanding new elections, its historic success has shone a spotlight on the Alpine country's fast-growing new alternative media. Known for spreading right-wing narratives and conspiracy theories, alternative news outlets have become increasingly popular in Austria, as they have in other European countries. "All media lie, only some lie more," one participant at a far-right rally told Austrian daily Der Standard when asked why he trusts alternative news more than traditional media. - 'FPOe media house' - The Freedom party -- led by Kickl since 2021 -- recently bundled all of its media channels into the single "FPOe media house". It comprises a successful YouTube channel, a newspaper, and TikTok and Facebook feeds. The YouTube channel alone has more than 230,000 subscribers and some 80 million views over the last three years. With a centrally managed media house, the far right hopes to expand its "enormous reach", FPOe secretary general Christian Hafenecker told a presentation in January. "We are truly present on all channels to provide the population with unfiltered and up-to-date information," he added. During the Covid-19 pandemic, several regional media channels like AUF1 and RTV gained popularity and have thrived since. "We were increasingly pushed into the right-wing corner because we reported on the protests" against the government's strict Covid measures, RTV managing director Christian Schott told AFP. "Whether it's Covid or climate change, we do our own research, because the mainstream (media) is bought," he said. AUF1, together with the smaller RTV, were the first outlets to interview Kickl after his party's election victory. - Emulating the 'Hungarian model' - Since the pandemic, AUF1 -- which like RTV has its roots in Upper Austria -- has become "a leading media outlet in the German-speaking conspiracy sphere," according to a government report. Its founder Stefan Magnet has close links to the FPOe. He was present when the far-right party signed a "cooperation pact" with Vladimir Putin's United Russia party in 2016. While AUF1 did not respond to a request for interview by AFP, another far-right media outlet, Info-Direkt did. The channel publicly targeted AFP after receiving a written request, publishing the questions on its website. Info-Direkt says it aims to address topics far-right voters are concerned about, including "population exchange, the sexual confusion of our children and climate hysteria", and "an end to war-mongering" in Ukraine. The channel accuses established media of spreading "fake news" and says it focuses on "patriotic" content. The FPOe's draft government programme included plans to cut funding to Austria's public broadcaster ORF, saying it was a symbol of "left-wing propaganda". According to media expert Daniela Kraus, head of the Concordia press club, the FPOe seeks to "strengthen the parallel media universe" while targeting those who are "not aligned with its ideology". Kraus also expressed concern about the "downward spiral of public discourse". Kickl has repeatedly praised Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban as a "role model". Orban's government has clamped down on and transformed Hungary's media landscape during his 14 years in power. "Orban has shown it's possible to create a real alternative. Why shouldn't we do the same?", Hafenecker said in January. ec-zk/anb-kym/tw
Express Tribune
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Talks to form Austria's first far right-led govt fail
VIENNA: Austria's Freedom Party ended coalition talks with the conservatives on Wednesday to form the country's first far right-led government following disagreements over key posts and issues including migration. The FPOe — which topped national polls for the first time ever in September — has been negotiating with the long-ruling conservative People's Party (OeVP) since early January. But cracks have appeared since last week, with radical FPOe leader Herbert Kickl insisting his party wants to hold both the interior and finance ministries -- demands the OeVP has rejected. "Despite intensive efforts, it had not been possible to reach an agreement," Kickl told reporters on Wednesday evening, adding that he was in favour of early snap elections. The OeVP in turn blamed "Kickl's thirst for power and uncompromising attitude" for the talks' failure. Had they been successful, the far right would have led the Alpine EU nation's government for the first time, though it has previously tasted power as a junior coalition partner. Now that talks have collapsed, analysts say snap elections are one of several likely scenarios, with the FPOe polling well ahead of its rivals. Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen said that he would be holding talks with the parties in the coming days to "sound out" how to move forward. Conservative-led efforts to rule without the FPOe following the September vote failed in early January and efforts to form a government hit a record length of time last week. The previous record, set in the 1960s, was 129 days. Earlier on Wednesday the OeVP said it wanted to have the interior brief, with asylum and migration issues moved into a separate new ministry. But the FPOe rejected the OeVP's proposal as "fraught with numerous constitutional problems" and "doomed to failure". Leaks over the weekend also showed numerous outstanding issues, including on EU policy and asylum seekers. The OeVP wanted the FPOe -- which has slammed EU sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine -- to clarify its position on Moscow, insisting a future government must see Russia "as threat", according to a confidential document revealed by the media. Kickl is known for his harsh attacks on his opponents, including calling President Van der Bellen a "senile mummy". The FPOe leader has also caused controversy by calling himself the future "Volkskanzler" -- the people's chancellor -- as Hitler was termed in the 1930s though he has denied this is a Nazi reference. In its demands aired publicly on social media, the FPOe -- led by Kickl since 2021 -- went "all out, showing little willingness to compromise", said political analyst Thomas Hofer. AFP
Jordan Times
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Austria's combative far-right leader Herbert Kickl
Secretary General Christian Hafenecker of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) Herbert Kickl holds a press conference in Vienna on Wednesday (AFP photo) VIENNA — While negotiating with the conservatives to form a government, sharp-tongued Herbert Kickl was within reach of becoming contemporary Austria's first far-right chancellor. But talks fell apart on Wednesday after Kickl's Freedom Party (FPOe) lay claims to key posts and proposed policies on the EU, migration and other issues the conservative People's Party (OeVP) found unacceptable."Together, we wanted to lead Austria back to the top of Europe. Unfortunately, the OeVP was not ready to make decisive compromises," Kickl said in a statement, while the OeVP blamed Kickl's "thirst for power and uncompromising attitude".Wednesday's failure to form a government marks another dramatic twist for Kickl, a radical who took over a scandal-tainted FPOe in 2021 and revitalised it to top national polls for the first time ever in the FPOe at first failed to find partners to govern, the conservatives under a fresh leadership had agreed to coalition talks in January. 'People's chancellor'Before taking over the party, the 56-year-old Kickl, a marathon runner and climber, had made his career largely behind the scenes as its longtime its leader, he has skillfully tapped into voter anxieties over the Covid pandemic, inflation and the Ukraine war, including criticising European Union sanctions against bland, unassuming image contrasts with his virulent condemns critics and called President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former Greens leader, a "senile mummy".He also frequently employs terms reminiscent of the troubled past of the party, founded by former Nazis in the include styling himself as the future "Volkskanzler" -- the people's chancellor -- as Adolf Hitler was called in the of thousands have protested against the FPOe-led talks, amid concerns Kickl -- who has previously said "politics takes precedence over the law" -- would erode the rule of law as denies using Nazi a Facebook post at the weekend, he insisted "the rule of law, fundamental rights, freedom of opinion, free media, (and) the fight against anti-Semitism" were "a natural foundation of our political work".But the far-right leader has never made a secret of his closeness to extremist groups, expressing his support for the Identitarian Movement as early as movement subscribes to the "great replacement" conspiracy narrative that claims there is a plot to replace Europe's "native" white population with non-white has also espoused the far-right concept of "remigration" -- wanting to expel people of non-European ethnic backgrounds, including Austrian nationals, deemed to have failed to integrate."Supporting an anti-elite and xenophobic party has perhaps become socially acceptable" almost everywhere in the world, said Christian Rainer, the former chief editor of the weekly Kickl makes French far-right leader Marine Le Pen "look like Mother Teresa", he has avoided debates and interviews, denouncing the media for their "lack of objectivity".Instead he has relied on social media to spread his views. Secret service raidHis past time in government -- when the FPOe was a junior partner to the OeVP from 2017 to 2019 -- has included some his time as interior minister in 2018, the authorities raided the country's intelligence service, seriously damaging the service's reputation among its international April last year, prosecutors launched a corruption investigation against him, amid allegations that he embezzled public money to pay for lucrative adverts in the media, in return for receiving favourable December, parliament approved a request by prosecutors to lift his immunity so he could be questioned for allegedly providing false voters have warmed to Kickl's tidy and trustworthy contrast to his flamboyant predecessors Joerg Haider and Heinz-Christian Strache -- who stepped back after a spectacular graft scandal -- Kickl has maintained a low profile. Born in Villach, the capital of the southern state of Carinthia, he studied philosophy, history, communication and political science in Vienna -- but left the courses before finishing -- and started working for the FPOe in 1995.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Talks to form Austria's first far-right govt stall
Talks to form Austria's first far right-led government stalled on Wednesday, with the negotiating parties airing disagreements over key posts. The far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) -- which topped national polls for the first time ever in September -- has been negotiating with the long-ruling conservative People's Party (OeVP) since early January. But since last week cracks have appeared, with radical FPOe leader Herbert Kickl insisting his party wants to hold both the interior and finance ministries -- which the OeVP has rejected. In a statement on Wednesday the OeVP said it wanted to have the interior ministry, with asylum and migration issues moved into a separate new ministry. The FPOe, in turn issuing a statement, rejected the OeVP's proposal as "fraught with numerous constitutional problems" and "doomed to failure". Protocols from the negotiations leaked over the weekend showed numerous outstanding issues, including on EU policy and asylum seeker treatments. If the talks are successful, a far right-led government would be a first though the far right has been part of government already several times in the Alpine EU member. - 'Like Trump' - But in its demands aired publicly on social media, the FPOe -- since 2021 under Kickl -- went "all out, showing little willingness to compromise", according to political analyst Thomas Hofer. "Kickl tries to approach it a bit like Trump, really wanting to fulfil his campaign promises one by one and work through them," Hofer told AFP, adding the demands Kickl has put on the table "can never be accepted by the OeVP". Should talks fail, snap elections are likely, according to analysts, with the FPOe polling well ahead of rivals. The FPOe stands at more than 35 percent in voter opinion polls -- up from the almost 29 percent they gained in September. The OeVP, which came second with 26 percent in September, has slumped to some 18 percent and is now trailing in third place behind the Social Democrats in voter opinion polls. After elections, the OeVP tried to form a government with the Social Democrats and a smaller liberal party, the NEOS, but those talks collapsed in early January. Both SPOe and NEOs this week said they were ready to talk to the OeVP once again to prevent an FPOe-led government. Tens of thousands have protested in Vienna against the negotiations, expressing fears an FPOe-led government would chip away at the rule of law, as well as minority and other rights. jza/jm
