Austria's polarising far-right leader bids to become chancellor


  • World
  • Wednesday, 25 Sep 2024

Head of Freedom Party (FPOe) Herbert Kickl waits for the start of a TV discussion in Vienna, Austria, September 23, 2024. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo

VIENNA (Reuters) - He is so abrasive that he has one of Austria's lowest personal approval ratings, but far-right chief Herbert Kickl's strategic cunning helped his party to its first ever national election win and he now has a chance to become its first chancellor.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday tasked Kickl, head of the eurosceptic, Russia-friendly Freedom Party (FPO), with forming a coalition government after a centrist bid to assemble one without the FPO collapsed over the weekend.

Uh-oh! Daily quota reached.


Experience an ad-free unlimited reading on both web and app.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In World

Number of migrants stopped entering US from Canada drops to multi-year low
Mexico cooperating with U.S. but more work needed on drugs, says Rubio
Philippines' Duterte to have first hearing at ICC on Friday
Portugal's president disbands parliament, calls election on May 18
U.S. stocks close lower
U.S. to see significant severe weather into weekend
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says Putin does not want ceasefire
Mexicans hope uncovered mass grave sheds light on missing relatives
2nd LD Writethru: Death toll of train-minibus crash in NE Egypt rises to 10
US long-range bombs headed to Ukraine as ATACMS supply dwindles

Others Also Read