Austria's Nehammer: Far-right FPÖ coalition will open door to Moscow

Referring to Austria's Nazi history and Russian intelligence activities, Chancellor Karl Nehammer has definitively ruled out a future coalition with the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) led by Herbert Kickl.

Coalition negotiations between Nehammer's conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) are now becoming increasingly likely.

He said he would not be "the stepping stone for Herbert Kickl," following an initial exploratory meeting with Kickl. The FPÖ claimed the chancellorship following their victory in the parliamentary elections at the end of September.

The far-right party is advocating a coalition with Nehammer's ÖVP, which was relegated to second place. No other party wishes to cooperate with the FPÖ.

Nehammer stressed that he shares the concerns of FPÖ voters regarding security, migration and political Islam, but he asserted that solutions must be implemented in accordance with the rule of law.

In doing so, it is important to "learn from the mistakes of the past, including the darkest hours that Austria has experienced," he said at a press conference.

"His rhetoric is characterized by fear and radicalization," Nehammer said about Kickl.

The ÖVP leader recalled Kickl's supportive stance towards the Identitarian Movement, which is classified as right-wing extremist by the domestic Austrian intelligence service.

The ÖVP and FPÖ governed together from 2017 to 2019. Nehammer stated that at that time, Kickl, as minister of the interior, was responsible for the dismantling of the constitutional protection authority. He suggested that this had "opened an inroad" for Russia's interests.

The FPÖ is considered friendly towards Moscow, not least because of its opposition to the war-related sanctions against Russia.

On Wednesday, Nehammer plans to meet the head of SPÖ, Andreas Babler, for another exploratory talk. A coalition between these two parties, possibly together with the liberal NEOS, is currently considered the most likely.