By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) – Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which won parliamentary elections in September with 29% of the vote, is due to start coalition talks with the conservative People’s Party (OVP) this week. which aims to create the first FPO in the country. -led by the government.

The eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO and the OVP overlap on immigration and taxation but clash over Russia and Ukraine. Below are the areas that may prove more straightforward and more challenging in their discussions.

HEAD TO IMMIGRATION

The parties have taken the same hard line on immigration, to the point where the FPO has accused the OVP of copying its policies. The OVP, however, led the outgoing coalition government and the FPO said it could continue.

Both promised to put more police on the border, replace cash payments for refugees with benefits in kind and deport Afghans and Syrians back to their countries even if they are not considered safe and therefore legal.

They also support the setting up of centers outside the EU where asylum-seekers’ claims will be processed.

Both say their inspiration is Denmark, but Denmark has an opt-out from the EU asylum policy, which Austria does not.

In 2022, Denmark agreed with Rwanda to explore setting up a system where asylum seekers arriving in Denmark could be relocated there. That work was later discontinued and Denmark moved to try to establish a similar system with the EU or other EU member states.

Some of the FPO’s ideas may be more difficult for the OVP to accept, such as stripping naturalized Austrians of their citizenship if they commit a crime, or creating a “push”, pushing people who want to enter Austria back into neighboring countries. countries by force, which is widely seen. as illegal in the European Union.

The FPO wants to restrict social benefits to Austrian citizens, establish a national preference for social housing, and deny all but basic medical care to asylum seekers, which can be challenged in the courts if introduced.

POSITION OF RUSSIA

The FPO opposes European Union aid to Kyiv and sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, arguing that they violate Austria’s neutrality.

The OVP-led government says Austria’s military neutrality, which prevents it from sending weapons, does not prohibit taking political sides. The OVP says that Austria must support Ukraine.

The FPO wants to cancel Austria’s participation in the Sky Shield missile defense system plan of European countries that includes neighboring countries including Germany and Switzerland. OVP supports the project.

The OVP asked for assurances from the FPO that Russian interference in Austria was not wanted.

The FPO’s manifesto, published before Russia stopped flowing to Austria through the pipeline last week, said that Russian gas “will continue to make an important contribution to our security of supply “. OVP supports transfer to other sources fully.

MEDIA

The FPO accused national broadcaster ORF of being left-wing and trying to “indoctrinate” its viewers. It wants to scrap the compulsory levy that funds the ORF and overhaul the ORF to promote what it describes as objectivity. The OVP says it supports independent media but also wants to reduce ORF.

eCONOMY

Both parties are calling for a cut in the income tax and oppose the introduction of new taxes. It is less clear how they will reduce Austria’s budget deficit, which must be brought back within the EU limit of 3% of economic output.

Both said the savings could be achieved by reducing bureaucracy and state spending, without giving many details.

The FPO has promised to force banks to make their lending conditions more “fair” through measures such as capping loan interests, lowering fees and extending maturities. That may be hard for the pro-business OVP to accept.

WORLD

Both parties defend what they see as the right to drive gasoline vehicles and oppose measures that would make that more expensive or difficult.

The FPO calls for the repeal of the current carbon tax, opposes the EU’s ban on new petrol cars being sold from 2035, and wants to change the tax on new petrol cars.

It also wants to cap fuel prices for trucks “during periods of particular inflation”.