The far-right Freedom Party won first place in this election, in cooperation with the Austrian People's Party, both political parties promise to tighten asylum legislation and actively fight against illegal immigration. The success of the far-right Freedom Party has raised concerns about the rise of the far right in Europe, following similar gains by parties such as the Alternative for Germany and the National Front in France, reports Reuters.
Saima Arab, a 20-year-old pedicurist from Afghanistan who arrived in Austria in 2017, expresses her gratitude for the freedom she has found in the country. “We could never do this in Afghanistan – to go out, to gather in public places”, she says. However, many Austrians are concerned about the country's ability to integrate migrants, especially Muslims, which put immigration issues at the center of discussions during the recent election.
Professor Walter Obwexer, an adviser on migration law, commented that regardless of the make-up of the new government, it was almost certain that ways to tighten immigration laws would be sought.
The number of foreign-born people in Austria has grown by more than a third between 2015 and 2022, with around 27% of the population of 9 million now born abroad or having immigrant parents. Therefore, Austrians' concerns about the integration of migrants who fail to adapt have grown, and this is one of the main factors determining political preferences. Even some Austrians of Muslim origin share these concerns.
Mehmet Ozay, an Austrian of Turkish origin and a supporter of the far-right Freedom Party, believes the system is overcrowded and that the number of asylum seekers who do not contribute to the economy is too high.
The far-right Freedom Party's campaign focuses on immigration, with the party promoting the concept of “remigration” – the return of asylum seekers to their countries of origin in case they fail to integrate successfully. However, this raises concerns among critics who see this practice as demonizing foreigners. Tensions around the issue have increased since a teenager of North Macedonian origin was arrested last month for an attempted terrorist attack in Vienna.
Social worker Hedi, who is Austrian of Afghan descent, compared the current anti-Muslim rhetoric to the treatment of Jews in pre-World War II Vienna. He expresses concern that the far-right Freedom Party promotes xenophobia, stressing that the party often associates refugees with crime.
Despite its past associated with far-right ideologies, the far-right Freedom Party has made efforts to distance itself from its Nazi roots. Party leader Herbert Kickle called Adolf Hitler “the greatest mass murderer in human history” during a televised debate, strongly condemning the Nazi legacy.
Alon Ishai, head of the Austrian Association of Jewish Students, says he sees parallels between the growing anti-Muslim rhetoric and the rise of anti-Semitic attitudes during the Nazi era.
Mehmet Ozay, a supporter of the far-right Freedom Party, disagrees with these claims. According to him, Muslims in Austria enjoy freedom and sees no threat from growing xenophobia: “If there were daily attacks, I would understand the fear. But this is just fear, fanned by the opposition,”, he says.