FPÖ rise despite investigations: Kickl caught in low polls!

FPÖ rise despite investigations: Kickl caught in low polls!

The waves are high in Austrian politics: FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl is confronted with suspicions of corruption that relate to the period of his term as Interior Minister between January 2018 and May 2019. The economic and corruption public prosecutor's office in Vienna has opened an investigation because Kickl and other FPÖ top politicians are suspected of placing state-financed advertisements in a tabloid newspaper in order to secure positive coverage. This happened while the FPÖ governed together with the ÖVP. The other accused include prominent names such as Norbert Hofer and Heinz-Christian Strache, former vice-chancellor and FPÖ chairman FAZ reported.

FPÖ at poll high despite investigations

Despite the investigations, the FPÖ remains strong in the polls. A recent Lazarsfeld poll shows that the party under Kickl's leadership is at 34%, which means stabilization after a decline. The FPÖ benefits from the turbulent political conditions; a few weeks ago the value was 38%. If there are new elections, the FPÖ could even improve on the 28.8% in the National Council election in September 2024, reports oe24.

These poll numbers reflect the strength of Kickl, who is leading on the chancellor issue, while competitors such as the SPÖ and ÖVP are far behind. The SPÖ currently only has 22%, the ÖVP is even hovering below the 20% mark. Kickl's support appears to be unbroken even in times of political turbulence, and the FPÖ is calm about the investigation, convinced that it will ultimately be closed. However, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop with regard to the upcoming elections.