Brussels – Negotiations to form a new government in Austria have come to an abrupt halt, marking a significant political setback for the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), led by Herbert Kickl.

Following a historic showing in the recent elections on September 29, 2023, where the FPÖ garnered approximately 29% of the popular vote, negotiations with the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) have failed, leading Kickl to return the mandate for government formation to President Alexander Van der Bellen.

The breakdown in discussions occurred on February 12, 2025, after days of stalled talks.

In a letter addressed to President Van der Bellen, Kickl expressed his disappointment in the ÖVP’s unwillingness to accept what he termed 'concessions' proposed by the FPÖ regarding the distribution of cabinet positions.

A key point of contention was the ÖVP's insistence on retaining control over the Ministry of the Interior, which plays a critical role in managing immigration issues—a central theme of the FPÖ’s electoral campaign.

The ÖVP's response was swift and accusatory.

Karl Mahrer, head of the Vienna branch of the ÖVP, publicly attributed the failure of negotiations to Kickl's extreme demands, asserting that his leadership style rendered responsible government impossible.

Mahrer emphasized the importance of adherence to democratic principles, EU commitments, media freedom, and trust in international intelligence services, indicating that these were non-negotiable standards that Kickl had failed to honor.

This failure to form a government follows a previous unsuccessful attempt to establish a coalition involving the ÖVP, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the NEOS Liberals, which ultimately collapsed in early January 2025, resulting in the resignation of then-Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

This created a political opening for the FPÖ, which had been excluded from power for many years.

Following the elections, President Van der Bellen had tasked Kickl with attempting a coalition with the ÖVP, which had previously governed alongside the FPÖ in 2000 and 2017. However, the changed political landscape, particularly the reluctance of the ÖVP to accept Kickl as Chancellor due to his controversial reputation, complicated these efforts.

With negotiations at a standstill, President Van der Bellen now faces critical decisions on how to proceed amid this unprecedented political deadlock.

He can either pursue another centrist coalition or take the drastic step of dissolving the parliament and calling for new elections.

Current polling suggests the FPÖ could potentially increase its support to around 34% in the event of new elections, raising concerns among stakeholders about the implications of a further strengthening of far-right ideology in Austrian politics.

As these political developments unfold, public protests against the normalization of far-right politics are occurring in cities across Austria, indicating significant societal unrest regarding the trajectory of the nation’s political landscape.