Austria’s two largest right-wing parties, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP), have agreed on a strict set of rules to combat illegal immigration and better integrate migrants. Their stance shows a clear push towards a more conservative path, especially in the realm of migration policies.
According to Exxpress, the parties have already settled on making German language courses mandatory in schools. In Vienna, nearly half of first-graders struggle with German, and many were born in Austria, leading the People’s Party to propose language tests for 3-year-olds before entering school.
The new coalition is also determined to crack down on political Islam, with the FPÖ calling for a ban on organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood. They argue these groups have significant influence over Austria’s Muslim communities. After the foiled terrorist plot at a Taylor Swift concert last year, the ÖVP echoed calls for stricter scrutiny of such associations.
The parties aim to impose tougher asylum and citizenship regulations, with a focus on “only assimilated” individuals being eligible for citizenship. They also intend to speed up deportations, particularly to Afghanistan and Syria, marking a shift from previous policies.
Another major proposal is lowering the criminal responsibility age from 14 to 12.
The new government could be announced by the end of this week, following agreement on several key issues, including the national budget. The shift in Austrian politics shows a broader European trend towards the right, as mainstream parties realize they can no longer ignore rising voter discontent, evident in Germany as well.
The FPÖ’s leader, Herbert Kickl, emphasized that illegal immigration must be actively stopped, not just managed. His government plans to offer benefits to migrants in kind, prioritize deportations over new asylum applications, and focus on securing Austria’s borders. The FPÖ’s “Fortress Austria” concept would also halt asylum applications, prevent illegal migrants from entering, and deport those who fail to gain asylum.
