The far right might struggle to form a coalition because most other parties have said they will not work with it.

The head of Freedom Party Herbert Kickl, He is smiling and looks very happy

Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) has topped the country’s national elections in a historic victory but is likely to struggle to find partners that would enable it to form a governing coalition.

The FPO won 28.8 percent of votes, beating the ruling conservative People’s Party (OVP) into second place at 26.3 percent, according to near-complete results.

While the FPO has served in coalition governments before, it is the first time it has won a national vote and comes as far-right parties across Europe have made gains.

All other parties in the country, however, have rejected forming a coalition with the Eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO, which was founded in the 1950s under the leadership of a former Nazi lawmaker. Leader Herbert Kickl is also a provocative and polarising figure, roundly disliked by other party leaders.

“We have written a piece of history together today,” the 55-year-old Kickl told cheering supporters in Vienna. “We have opened a door to a new era.”

Like other far-right parties elsewhere in Europe, the FPO’s popularity has surged amid voter anger over issues such as migration, the state of the economy and restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.