Far-right are back in Austria government

Austriais set to become the only western European country with a far-rightparty in government after the anti-immigration Freedom Party andSebastian Kurz’s conservatives struck a coalition deal to share poweralmost equally.In an early policy pronouncement, Kurz, the futurechancellor, said that the new government would not hold a referendum onEuropean Union membership.Kurz, who is aged just 31, and FreedomParty (FPOe) leader Heinz-Christian Strache announced their deal onFriday night, handing the far-right a share of power for the third timein the Alpine republic, after more than a decade in opposition.The FPOe will take control of much of Austria’s security apparatus, in charge of the foreign, interior and defence ministries.The People’s Party (OeVP) led by Kurz will control the powerful finance ministry as well the justice and agriculture portfolios.“Noone need be afraid,” Austrian news agency APA quoted the incominginterior minister and chairman of the FPOe, Herbert Kickl, as saying.Kicklbegan his career as a speechwriter for the late Joerg Haider, whopraised Adolf Hitler’s employment policies and led the party to itsfirst mainstream electoral success.Kurz will head the government as chancellor and the OeVP will have eight ministries including his office.The FPOe will have six, including Strache’s office as vice-chancellor.Kurzhas repeatedly said that his government will be pro-European despiteincluding the FPOe, which was founded by former Nazis and campaignedagainst Austria joining the bloc when it was put to a referendum in1994.The coalition plans to make referendums more widely available.UnlikeFrance’s National Front (FN), the FPOe has backed away from calling fora referendum on leaving the European Union but Kurz obtained aguarantee that a Brexit-style vote will not be held.“There will beno votes on our membership of international organisations, including theEuropean Union,” Kurz told a joint news conference with Strache.Kurz’soffice will also take over some European departments from the FPOe-runforeign ministry to give him greater control over EU matters.The180-page coalition agreement listed plans such as sinking taxes andcutting public spending through streamlined administration though itoften did not say how such would be achieved.Austria’s parliamentaryelection two months ago was dominated by Europe’s migration crisis, inwhich the affluent country took in a large number of asylum-seekers.Kurz’sparty won with a hard line on immigration that often overlapped withthe FPOe’s, pledging to cut benefits for refugees and never to allow arepeat of 2015’s wave of arrivals.The FPOe came third in the election with 26% of the vote.Kurzand Strache held their news conference outlining the agreement on theKahlenberg, a hill on the outskirts of the capital famed as the site ofthe 1683 Battle of Vienna, which ended a siege of the city by OttomanTurks.While there was no specific mention of repelling that Musliminvasion, the symbolism is clear for two parties that have warned Muslim“parallel societies” are emerging in Austria.Kurz, however, toldreporters: “I did not take the decision on where the press conferenceshould be held ... I would not read too much symbolism into it.”Strache and Kurz oppose Turkish membership of the EU, a position that polls regularly show most Austrians support.“Weboth recognise about 75% of ourselves in the programme,” said Strache,who accused Kurz during the campaign of stealing his party’s ideas.“That might have something to do with the fact that one or the othermaybe took on the other’s policy points before the election.”Anti-establishmentparties have been winning over more voters in Europe, capitalising ondissatisfaction with mainstream politicians’ handling of the economy,security and immigration.While other far-right parties have gainedground this year, entering parliament in Germany and making France’spresidential run-off, the FPOe is going further by entering governmentand securing key ministries.“It is excellent news for Europe,”Marine Le Pen said of the coalition deal at a Prague meeting of her FNparty’s European grouping, which includes the FPOe. “These successes show that the nation states are the future, that the Europe of tomorrow is a Europe of the people,” she said.Boththe OeVP and FPOe believe that the EU should focus on fewer tasks, likesecuring its external borders, and hand more power back to memberstates.When the FPOe last entered government in 2000 other EU countries imposed sanctions on Vienna in protest.There is unlikely to be a similar outcry this time, given the rise of anti-establishment parties across the continent.