Politics FPÖ leader Kickl stands by "Fortress Austria" - No Öxit
At the New Year's meeting of the right-wing FPÖ, party leader Herbert Kickl pledged that Austria would remain in the EU. "No Freedom Party member wants to leave the European Union," said the right-wing populist in front of around 3,000 supporters in Vösendorf near Vienna.
18.01.2025, 13:33
SDA
His criticism of Brussels was about the EU entering a phase of "self-reflection" in future in the interests of the economy instead of the current "self-indulgence". The aim must be less bureaucracy and an end to "climate communism". Kickl has good prospects of becoming the first FPÖ Chancellor of the Alpine Republic in a few weeks' time.
The FPÖ leader emphasized the party's commitment to a "Fortress Austria" in matters of immigration. He wanted to build this kind of wall of "paragraphs and regulations, of benefits in kind instead of cash, of negative asylum decisions, of certificates of return, of deportation flights". Dealing with immigration is a question of fate for the continent far beyond Austria, said Kickl.
Kickl denies closeness to Russia
The 56-year-old defended himself against the description that he is Russia-friendly. The closeness to Russia attributed to him is rather a "closeness to neutrality." According to the constitution, Austria is committed to neutrality and is not a member of NATO. The FPÖ is against the EU's Russia sanctions, among other things.
In his speech, Kickl refrained from his usual extremely sharp-tongued accusations against his political opponents. However, the previous government of the conservative ÖVP and the Greens had left a shambles of a budget. Dealing with this legacy will probably delay his project of giving Austria "five good years", said the party leader.
FPÖ on a great wave of success
The FPÖ, which was badly affected by the Ibiza affair in 2019, has celebrated one success after another in recent years. At state level, it is now part of five of the nine state governments. The FPÖ won the parliamentary elections in September 2024 ahead of the ÖVP. Both parties are in promising coalition talks.
