San Francisco Frontiers - Austria far-right supporters toast historic victory

"It's a real success... (but) I predict that no matter who forms the government, we will certainly not have one before Christmas," Erik Berglund, a 35-year-old waiter, told AFP.

Led by sharp-tongued Herbert Kickl since 2021, the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been tipped to narrowly beat the ruling conservatives but Sunday's results -- with the party getting around 29 percent -- were even slightly better than expected.

Like other party supporters around him in traditional Austrian dress, Berglund credited Kickl the "most competent leader".

But he said it would now be up to the other parties to decide if the FPOe head can become chancellor.

"It will certainly be a very, very exciting time," he added as electric blue light -- the FPOe colour -- illuminated the restaurant in downtown Vienna where the party was celebrating.

- 'Mountain climber' -

Chancellor Karl Nehammer, whose conservatives came second in the elections, has already said he would not form a coalition government with Kickl. Other party leaders have also rejected him.

"I am a mountain climber, but the bag that I have been given is not light," the sporty Kickl told his cheering supporters.

As supporters watched the vote night unfold on private television rather than public broadcaster ORF, which the FPOe has accused of being biased, they booed whenever other parties' representatives appeared onscreen.

Hilmar Kabas, an FPOe member since the 1960s, said other parties' "weakness" was the main reason that propelled the far right to victory.

But supporters wearing "Team Kickl" parkas also rattle off other reasons, such as asylum seeker applications deemed too many, a slumping economy and the high cost of living that has seen far-right parties across Europe gain ground.

But if no one is willing to form a coalition under Kickl, it's better to stay in the opposition, Kabas said.

"It is not the other parties that decide for us," he added.

- 'Beacon in our night' -

A loden-clothed activist from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was also among the crowd, having come specially from Bavaria state in neighbouring Germany to celebrate with his "friends".

"Germany is looking toward Vienna tonight," he said, declining to give his name.

With him, he brought a gift for Kickl: a small blue lighthouse engraved with his name because "he is a beacon in our night".

Outgoing lawmaker Petra Steger said President Alexander Van der Bellen must now give the mandate to Kickl to form a government "respecting the voters".

"That's how it works in a democracy," she said.

Having expressed reservations about Kickl a few months ago, Van der Bellen promised after the results were announced he would make sure a government is formed that respects the "foundations of our liberal democracy".

Not far from the FPOe celebration, in front of parliament, a few hundred people gathered to say "no to Kickl", leader of a party formed by former Nazis.

"Nazis out", they chanted.

"Unfortunately, it was to be expected that the FPOe would be in the lead, but it is quite sad (to have this result), because somehow we have learned nothing from history," Juliana Hofmann, a 19-year-old student, told AFP.

S.Hall--SFF