Styria chooses: FPÖ triumphs! Mario Kunasek will be the new governor!

Styria chooses: FPÖ triumphs! Mario Kunasek will be the new governor!

Steiermark, Österreich - The FPÖ election winner in Styria, Mario Kunasek, took a surprising step and chose the ÖVP as coalition partner. This marks the formation of the fifth government coalition in black and blue/blue-black and increases the pressure on Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The decision was made just a week after the election and shows that Kunasek with impressive 35 percent achieved a better result than the federal party leader Herbert Kickl, who had only received 28.8 percent in the national election. Kunasek is considered an "anti-kickl" in the FPÖ, since he is pursuing a friendlier approach and is able to work with various partners, such as krone.at reported .

political effects and challenges

The election as Styrian governor also has significant internal party for the FPÖ and its Federal CEO Herbert Kickl. Kunasek's victory not only strengthens his position, but could also change the dynamics within the FPÖ. While Kickl's authoritarian leadership often got into the crossfire, Kunasek offers a more charismatic face. The FPÖ can now enjoy the power in several federal states, including Upper Austria and Salzburg, and thus gains influence, such as falter.at reported .

In its election program, the FPÖ made numerous promises, for example for redesigning social assistance and new measures in family policy. With Kunasek at the top, some of these plans could encounter resistance, especially since many of the targeted changes depend on the federal government. Critics also fear that the FPÖ could make decisions in the state of Styria in favor of folk culture and at the expense of the free cultural scene. This could not only affect social aspects in Styria, but also influence the general political landscape in Austria.