Austria elects far-right parliamentary president – DW

Austrian parliamentarians on Thursday elected Walter Rosenkranz of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) as their new president. It is the first time that a far-right politician has held the position, the second most important in the country, after president.

The position is traditionally held by the strongest party in the body. In September, the FPÖ obtained 28.9% of the vote in the national parliamentary elections, overtaking the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), but failed to obtain a majority.

Thursday’s count in the inaugural session of the new National Assembly – Austria’s lower house – saw Rosenkranz win 100 of 183 votes. Green Party politicians voted against him in a unified front and several lawmakers from other parties also voted against him.

Rosenkranz previously led his party’s political convention in the body.

Jewish groups in the country strongly warned against his election to the position, pointing out, among other things, his membership in an extreme right-wing fraternity.

The anti-European FPÖ has also been accused of failing to distance itself from far-right extremism.

The FPÖ is unlikely to govern despite its impressive electoral performance

Despite its convincing electoral victory, the FPÖ is unlikely to lead the country in the near future. Having failed to gain a majority, he would be forced to find coalition partners if he wanted to take command.

Numerous parties, including the ÖVP, pledged not to work with the FPÖ and its leader Herbert Kickl, who said the only way the FPÖ could enter government was with him as chancellor.

In light of this fact, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Tuesday ignored the FPÖ and instead invited ÖVP leader Karl Nehammer – the acting chancellor – to begin negotiations with the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), center-left, hoping to form a coalition government.

Negotiations between the ÖVP and SPÖ are scheduled to begin on Friday. Nehammer previously said he would try to form a tripartite coalition with the SPÖ and the Greens or the liberal NEO party.