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Another Far Right Party Has Won Voters' Hearts in Europe with Anti-Islam Message
http://www.newsweek.com/freedom-party-austria-far-right-marine-le-pen-685567The far right Freedom Party—an ally of Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France and one of the emboldened cluster of populist right wing parties making big gains across the continent—took as much as 26 percent of the vote in Austria's elections this weekend.
The result could see the Freedom Party enter a coalition with the right-wing Austrian People’s Party, led by Sebastian Kurz, a 31 year old who is set to become the world’s youngest sitting head of government.
But what is the Freedom Party? And what will the result mean for the future?
Long-established outsiders
The Freedom Party is one of Europe’s older surviving right wing populist parties. Founded in 1955, it has even had one spell as a partner in a coalition government. It joined the center-right People’s Party in power in 2000, which led to Austria briefly facing EU sanctions.
Like many other European populist parties, the Freedom Party is strongly anti-immigration. “Austria is not an country of immigration,” the party says in its program, “This is why we pursue a family policy centred around births.” Its policies include freezing migrants out of welfare payments. Unlike some extreme-right groups, however, it does not campaign for legal immigrants already in the country to be repatriated.
The Freedom Party is strongly anti-Islam. It has long campaigned for a ban on face veils—and this year it got its way, with a ban coming into force in Austria on October 1. In the European parliament the party is aligned with fellow anti-Islam parties the National Front in France and the Alternative for Germany, which also made significant gains in the recent German elections.
The result could see the Freedom Party enter a coalition with the right-wing Austrian People’s Party, led by Sebastian Kurz, a 31 year old who is set to become the world’s youngest sitting head of government.
But what is the Freedom Party? And what will the result mean for the future?
Long-established outsiders
The Freedom Party is one of Europe’s older surviving right wing populist parties. Founded in 1955, it has even had one spell as a partner in a coalition government. It joined the center-right People’s Party in power in 2000, which led to Austria briefly facing EU sanctions.
Like many other European populist parties, the Freedom Party is strongly anti-immigration. “Austria is not an country of immigration,” the party says in its program, “This is why we pursue a family policy centred around births.” Its policies include freezing migrants out of welfare payments. Unlike some extreme-right groups, however, it does not campaign for legal immigrants already in the country to be repatriated.
The Freedom Party is strongly anti-Islam. It has long campaigned for a ban on face veils—and this year it got its way, with a ban coming into force in Austria on October 1. In the European parliament the party is aligned with fellow anti-Islam parties the National Front in France and the Alternative for Germany, which also made significant gains in the recent German elections.
More at link.
This is getting scary.
6 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
Someone's religion. ..seems we have been here ...done this....
and love it !!!
They, and I, are so glad they just escaped the insane USA in time...
