Sebastian Schäffer for Kyiv Independent on Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ)

Sebastian Schäffer, IDM Director, spoke to Kyiv Independent about the victory of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) in the recent parliamentary elections. Schäffer noted that, while far-right parties across Europe differ ideologically, they share a common belief that Kyiv should not receive military support to foster peace, and with this spinning Kremlin narratives. He also highlighted that Austria’s neutrality has become a “myth in itself”, one that the FPÖ leverages while at the same time keeping their long-standing ties to Russia. Only five years after the Ibiza-Scandal, which brought down the last government in which the Freedom Party was party of, the party leader Herbert Kickl won the best result since 1945, bringing conspiracy theories into the mainstream political discourse, posing a threat to democracy in Austria as well as further eroding common values in Europe. 

The link to the article is available here.