Politics Austria's election winner reaffirms claim to government

Following its election victory in Austria, the right-wing FPÖ has reaffirmed its claim to form a government. He had clearly told Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen "that we want to lead the next government with me as Federal Chancellor", said the leader of the Freedom Party of Austria, Herbert Kickl, in Vienna.

He was with Van der Bellen on Friday. The President wants to sound out who has a chance of forming a stable government before he gives the order to form a government.

The FPÖ won 28.8 percent of the vote in last Sunday's election, an increase of 12.7 percentage points. The ruling conservative ÖVP only came second with 26.3 percent (minus 11.2 points). Its coalition partner, the Greens, achieved 8.2 percent (minus 5.7). The Social Democrats (SPÖ) remained at 21.1 percent and the liberal Neos increased to 9.1 percent (plus 1).

So far, no party has shown any willingness to form a coalition with the FPÖ.

"This result is a clear mandate to bring five good years for Austria," said Kickl. "Our hand is outstretched", he said again with a view to coalition negotiations. A "coalition of losers" would be a slap in the face for voters. He accused the other parties of undemocratic power-grabbing.

Van der Bellen also wanted to talk to the leaders of the second and third strongest parties in the next few days. For the ÖVP this is Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer, the SPÖ leader is Andreas Babler.