Once dominant, Austria’s governing party now trails far behind Herbert Kickl’s Freedom Party. Austria’s governing centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) has plunged to a historic low in the latest opinion survey, intensifying pressure on Chancellor Christian Stocker and his fragile coalition. The poll shows the ÖVP at just 20%—a one-point drop on the previous week. That places the party almost level with their coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPÖ), who remain stuck on 19%.
The political landscape is shifting dramatically as the main opposition right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) continues to dominate. Led by Herbert Kickl, the party stands at 36%, only slightly below its recent high of 38%. That makes it by far the strongest political force in the country, with momentum firmly on its side.
