FPÖs

The Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, FPÖ) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Austria. It was founded in 1956 as the successor to the Federation of Independents (VdU) and has long been a significant force in Austrian politics, often acting as a government coalition partner or as the main opposition.

Ideology and positions: The FPÖ emphasizes national sovereignty, strict immigration controls, andEuroscepticism, along with law-and-order policies and a focus on social welfare framed around national interests. It has campaigned on limiting asylum and immigration, preserving traditional cultural norms, and skepticism toward deeper European integration. Economically the party supports a mix of market-oriented ideas with a strong emphasis on national protection of workers and welfare benefits for citizens.

History and influence: Under leaders such as Jörg Haider in the 1990s, the FPÖ shifted toward the political mainstream and entered government in 2000 in a coalition with the ÖVP, which drew EU sanctions and domestic controversy. Haider later founded the BZÖ in 2005, while the FPÖ remained a major force. In 2017 the party again joined a coalition with the ÖVP, until the Ibiza affair in 2019 led to the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache and early elections. Since then the FPÖ has remained a major opposition and election force, led at different times by Norbert Hofer and later by Herbert Kickl.

European and parliamentary presence: At the European level, the FPÖ has aligned with far-right and conservative groups and has been part of the Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament. It maintains substantial representation in federal and regional Austrian legislatures, continuing to be one of the country’s largest parties.