Austria's centrist parties may come to their senses and try a second round of coalition talks, or form a minority government. And even if Kickl does prevail, that doesn't mean he'll succeed. He'll soon realise governing is far harder than campaigning.

If he comes to power, sharp-tongued, far-right leader Herbert Kickl will be contemporary Austria's most controversial chancellor.

Following failed coalition negotiations in Austria, a path to power is now opening up for the right-wing Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl. His political opponents consider the 56- year-old a "security risk,

He is so abrasive that he has one of Austria's lowest personal approval ratings, but far-right chief Herbert Kickl's strategic cunning helped his party to its first ever national election win and he now has a chance to become its first chancellor.

New Year's Eve event of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPOE) near Vienna with the participation of its chairman Herbert Kickl. Camera: MAX SLOVENCIK. FOOTAGE OF THE NEW YEAR'S RECEPTION OF THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION PARTY (CDU) NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA.

Mr Kickl’s political hero is Viktor Orban, Hungary’s autocratic leader. But unlike Hungarian voters who first voted Mr Orban in, few Austrian voters seem enamoured with Mr Kickl. Only 2% of FPÖ voters in September said they voted for the party because of Mr Kickl, while 45% said they did so because of its policies.

For years Herbert Kickl was written off by many, including party comrades, as a figure best suited for work behind the scenes. An Eigenbrötler, they joked: someone who bakes their own bread. Now, he looks almost certain to be Austria’s next chancellor — one of the most successful figureheads for Europe’s insurgent far right.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. The leader of Austria’s Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl, addresses a news conference, in Vienna, Austria ...

Austrian far right leader Herbert Kickl outlined key conditions for coalition negotiations with the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) on Tuesday, stating that the ÖVP must share his commitment to "honest politics.

Herbert Kickl, the controversial leader of Austria’s far-right FPÖ, is within reach of becoming the country’s first far-right chancellor. As the FPÖ negotiates a coalition with the conservatives, Kickl faces protests and criticism over his rhetoric and ties to extremist ideologies.

Austria’s anti-immigrant Freedom Party crept closer to appointing its first chancellor after receiving an invitation by the nation’s president to discuss forming a government. Most Read from BloombergIs This Weird Dome the Future of Watching Sports?

Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen has tasked far-right leader Herbert Kickl to form the government, bringing the Freedom Party chief closer to the chancellorship, according to a report