Why the far-left and far-right are surging in Austria?

 According to

1

, Austria's political landscape has become more volatile in the past 30 years, with traditional party identification and loyalties eroding. This allows for rapid shifts in voter preference from party to party. Additionally, Austria's political and cultural conservatism is driving the popularity of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which has harsh, restrictive positions on immigration and asylum. 

The collapse of the grand coalition in 2017 and the mismanagement of the refugee crisis have contributed to increased anti-establishment sentiment. 

The center-right People's Party (OeVP) is also mired in corruption allegations, and its handling of the migration issue has been superficial. 

The mainstream parties' flailing and the surge in inflation and immigration anxieties are benefiting the FPO once again

4

. The center-right is also adopting far-right talking points, while far-right parties are moderating some of their more voter-repellent views

10

.

what is the history of far-left and far-right

 politics in Austria?

The political history of Austria has been dominated by the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the center-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) since the end of World War II

2

. However, in recent years, the political landscape has become more volatile, with traditional party identification and loyalties eroding

1

. 

Austria is often considered to be the birthplace of modern right-wing populism in Europe

1

. The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been a significant player in Austrian politics since the 1990s, with harsh, restrictive positions on immigration and asylum

4

. 

The collapse of the grand coalition in 2017 and the mismanagement of the refugee crisis have contributed to increased anti-establishment sentiment

1

. The center-right People's Party (OeVP) is also adopting far-right talking points, while far-right parties are moderating some of their more voter-repellent views

5

. The far-left Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ PLUS) surprised political observers by taking home 11.7% of the vote in a recent regional election

3

.