Two weeks before the Austrian parliamentary elections, the FPÖ has elected its transition party leader, Norbert Hofer, as Party Chairman. By a large majority, the delegates confirmed the 48-year-old on Saturday at the FPÖ party congress in Graz in office.
After FPÖ frontman Heinz-Christian Strache had maneuvered himself out with his "Ibiza affair", Hofer must now focus on right-wing populists.
The affair is about a secretly shot in Ibiza unveiling video that became public in May 2019. It can be seen how the now retired Vice Chancellor and FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache a prospective Russian oligarchs niece in the 2017 election campaign in return for campaign assistance state orders in prospect. The case plunged Austria into a deep political crisis.
"Wolf in sheep's clothing"
Unlike Strache ex-Minister of Transport Hofer is considered the gentle, friendly rights in the FPÖ. Most recently he had shown himself moderately, renounced rabid sayings and staged as a man of the people. To the politician, who was always smiling, even opponents attested courtesy and the ability to listen well. Critics point out, however, behind Hofer smile stuck a tough, inflexible ideologue.
Some call him a "wolf in sheep's clothing", a "folk behind a beautiful facade", a "man with two faces". The Austrian writer Robert Menasse described Hofer as "Nazi", the journalist and author Armin Thurnher as "fascists". Hofer played a major role in the FPÖ program, which professes to be a "German national community". (Read more here.)
Hofer already triggered harsh criticism because he wore a cornflower on the lapel, once the hallmark of Nazis. He renounced that later, as well as the regular carrying of a pistol. Anyway, he said, he would not carry a gun as president. In 2016, he narrowly missed the victory for the office of Federal President - in a runoff election.
Dramatic remarks
Barely known in Austria three years ago, Hofer at any rate laid down a political lightning career - not least accelerated by some drastic statements. For example, he described refugees as "invaders" and also warned that people would come across the borders to Austria "who are prepared to cut off their heads".
The fraternity was initially active in regional politics in Burgenland, before he was elected to the Austrian Parliament in 2006. In the right-wing conservative government of ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), the trained aviation technician took over the office of Transport Minister in 2017.
In recent weeks, Hofer has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to make a fresh start to become President. Before the delegates in Graz, he also formulated a clear claim to power for the FPÖ: "It is our goal to become the strongest party in Austria because we can," said the party leader. He also called for a continuation of the coalition with the conservative ÖVP ex-Chancellor Kurz.
Despite the affair, the FPÖ is currently in polls with about 20 percent on par with the Social Democratic SPÖ. First place is the ÖVP, but it is likely to be dependent on a coalition partner again.
Double tip with provocateur
The success of Hofer's presidency will depend fundamentally on the election result in two weeks. Hofer certainly has the potential to make the FPÖ interesting for a broader spectrum, says political scientist Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle. The party currently has a core electorate of about 20 percent. "To get over this 20 percent, you need someone who does not scare like Herbert Kickl."
With ex-Interior Minister Kickl Hofer appeared in the election campaign as a kind of double point. On the one hand the smart Hofer, on the other the loud and provocative Kickl - that was the strategy of the right-wing populists. Kickl was elected at the party congress to one of the six deputy chairmen.
Incidentally, the main character of the "Ibiza video" avoided the choice of his successor. "Unfortunately, I can not be with you at the upcoming FPÖ Federal Party Congress in Graz," Strache wrote on Facebook on Thursday and thanked for support in the past 14 years at the head of the right wing party. "But I am with you at heart
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