Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader, Herbert Kickl, on Wednesday evening, gave a rare and controversial interview to the public broadcaster ORF, defending a series of policy ideas, including the deportation of what the far-right is calling “non-assimilated citizens” with a migration background.

When asked about his views on statements by Austrian far-right activists that the country should “deport non-assimilated citizens with a migration background” and promote a “remigration by reversing the inward migration of foreigners”, Kickl did not dismiss the ideas. 

In fact he said:  “If someone believes they can despise this society here, even fight this society, attack our values, then we can create a legal situation […] that such people can also have their citizenship revoked”.

READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to push?

According to the FPÖ leader, it would only not be possible to deport citizens who had Austrian citizenship “from birth” – but in the case of naturalised citizens, Austria could revoke the citizenship.  When it was pointed out that the deportation of citizens violated the European Convention on Human Rights, Kickl again said that a “legal situation” could be created in this regard. 

He also reiterated his support for an asylum freeze, demanding an end to the admission of further asylum seekers in Austria.

He said: “If we no longer accept asylum applications, then we don’t need to deport anyone.”

Far-right party

The FPÖ party is known for having connections to the extreme right, and its foundation is also connected to former Nazi party members.

The party was part of the ruling coalition in Austria with ÖVP’s Sebastian Kurz. Still, that partnership crumbled – as did FPÖ’s popularity – after the corruption scandal known as Ibizagate (Ibiza-Affäre), which brought down the former vice-chancellor and head of FPÖ Heinz-Christian Strache. 

READ ALSO: UPDATE: Why is support for Austria’s far-right FPÖ rising?

Since 2020, Austria has been led by a centre-right/left coalition with ÖVP and Greens as partners federally, but their differences and a series of corruption allegations against the ÖVP have made the combo highly unpopular in the country. At the same time, the FPÖ has rebuilt itself as Austria’s populist (and still far-right) party, riding the anti-vax wave and protesting the unpopular Covid measures taken by the ruling coalition during the pandemic.

Similarly to 2016, the FPÖ has also been gaining popularity with its extreme stance on migration and asylum policies, criticism of the European Union and intense nationalism. The result of this populist campaign shows in voting polls that the FPÖ has been consistently leading in voting intentions.

If that will lead to a Kickl-led Austria after the autumn elections remains to be seen. Most parties and party leaders have already categorically ruled out a coalition, if not with the FPÖ, at least with its controversial leader.

NATIONALRATSWAHL | Sonntagsfrage INSA/eXXpress

FPÖ: 30% (+1)
SPÖ: 23%
ÖVP: 20% (-1)
GRÜNE: 10% (+1)
NEOS: 10%
Sonstige: 7% (-1)

Änderungen zur letzten Umfrage vom 03. November 2023

Verlauf: https://t.co/roFKebZlfU#nrw #NRWahl pic.twitter.com/W7aBabvdWG

— Österreich Wählt (@Wahlen_AT) December 9, 2023