The shift towards right-wing populist parties in the European Union (EU) is likely to be confirmed today with the snap general election in Austria. Sebastian Kurz, who is only 31, is favourite to become Austria’s new leader – and the youngest leader in the EU – by heading the People’s Party (OeVP) into a conservative coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe). 

Kurz only took over as leader of the People’s Party in May and has since become an outspoken proponent of a hard-line approach on immigration and help to refugees. As for the controversial Eurosceptic Freedom Party – it was founded by a former Nazi officer – it would be a major coup to get into power after several far-right nationalist parties closely missed the mark across the EU, including in global superpowers France and Germany.

While Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front, made her way to the second round of the French presidential election, she was comfortably beaten by current president Emmanuel Macron and his centrist party. In Germany, even though Chancellor Angela Merkel managed to retain power, her party only won 246 seats as opposed to the 311 seats it previously held in the Bundestag. On the other hand, Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-right populist and anti-immigration party, won an outstanding 94 seats and totalled more than 5.8 million votes. It was the first time the AfD won seats to the Bundestag.

The snap general election in Austria will cause further headache for the EU as it negotiates Brexit and Eurosceptic movements across the continent.