Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has opened the door to a new era, its leader Herbert Kickl has told supporters, as they celebrated an unprecedented election victory. Kickl's party won 28.9% of the vote according to official tallies - almost three points ahead of the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) on 26.3%, but far short of a majority.

The result of last Sunday's Austrian parliamentary elections followed the same pattern as the 2022 elections in Italy, 2023 in the Netherlands and 2024 in the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg.

The far-right Freedom Party's historic victory in an Austrian parliamentary election has left it isolated and partly at the mercy of a powerful critic: the president, who must oversee efforts towards forming a viable coalition government.

Austria's far-right has gained its first electoral win since WW2, as the Freedom Party has won parliamentary elections.

The Freedom Party secured the first far-right national parliamentary election victory in post-World War II Austria on Sunday, finishing ahead of the governing conservatives after tapping into anxieties about immigration,

European far-right and nationalist parties are celebrating the far-right Freedom Party’s win in Austria’s election

Its most likely partner the conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP), which finished runner up and also wants to impose tougher immigration rules. Otherwise a more centrist OVP-led coalition could take shape.

The formation of a new Austrian government won’t be an easy task, with potential for political uncertainty and deadlock, both during coalition negotiations and in governance, ING economist Franziska Biehl says in a note.

Austria’s Freedom Party leads in the vote count, but may not be able to find coalition partners to form a government under provocative leader Herbert Kickl.