Herbert Kickl, Austria’s newly appointed government negotiator, remains an enigmatic figure, shrouded in an aura of secrecy. He rarely grants interviews, preferring select media outlets, and maintains a rigid silence regarding his private life. What little is known paints a picture of an austere individual: a dedicated triathlete, married with a son, and a preference for absolute privacy, exemplified by his wedding ceremony held without guests.
Kickl’s upbringing in Radenthein, a small town near the Slovenian border, was profoundly provincial. Surrounded by a predominantly social-democratic working class employed by the local magnesite factory, Kickl’s family remained apolitical. His academic record reveals a diligent and inquisitive student, yet one prone to challenging his teachers, whom he perceived as left-leaning. This perception of a pervasive leftist establishment followed him to Vienna, where he pursued, but ultimately abandoned, studies in philosophy and history. This experience seemingly fueled his burgeoning political leanings.
Drawn to the charismatic far-right figure Jörg Haider, Kickl joined Haider’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) in the mid-1990s. Starting with mundane tasks like postering and preparing presentations for the party’s ”Freedom Academy,” Kickl rapidly ascended the party ranks, becoming Haider’s speechwriter and close political advisor. This position solidified his influence within the FPÖ, enabling a seamless transition to working for Haider’s successor, Heinz-Christian Strache, after Haider’s dramatic departure in 2005. Kickl’s tenure is marked by the creation of infamous FPÖ slogans like ”Daham statt Islam” (Home instead of Islam), reflecting his explicitly anti-immigrant and arguably racist stance.
Kickl’s rhetoric openly employs vocabulary reminiscent of the Nazi era, including his aspiration to be a ”Volkskanzler,” a title Hitler used. According to Austrian journalist Robert Treicher, co-author of ”Kickl and the Destruction of Europe,” Kickl represents a more extreme right-wing ideology than either Haider or Strache. Unlike his predecessors, who reveled in the public eye, Kickl prefers the shadows. This prolonged behind-the-scenes role, Treicher suggests, contributes to Kickl’s often tense and nervous demeanor in public appearances, hinting at a discomfort with the limelight. This contrasts sharply with the hedonistic tendencies of Haider and Strache, who enjoyed the trappings of power.
The political turmoil following Jörg Haider’s departure from the FPÖ in 2005 and Heinz-Christian Strache’s forced resignation due to the Ibiza corruption scandal in 2019 presented Kickl with an opportunity. As Interior Minister from 2017 to 2019, he pursued hardline policies, including attempted curfews on refugee centers and proposals to expedite the deportation of foreign nationals convicted of crimes, bypassing appeals processes. He openly advocated for Austria to circumvent the European Convention on Human Rights, arguing that ”law must follow politics, not the other way around.” Seizing the moment in 2019, Kickl assumed leadership of the scandal-ridden FPÖ, transforming it into an electoral powerhouse, culminating in a resounding victory in the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Kickl’s political platform is characterized by a desire to curtail EU powers and establish a ”Fortress Austria” within the Schengen zone. His stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine ascribes blame to ”provocations by the USA and NATO.” This polarizing rhetoric has sparked widespread protests in Vienna, demonstrating the deeply divisive nature of his politics. Kickl’s views are delivered with an unwavering clarity and consistency, leaving little room for misinterpretation. His appointment as government negotiator offers him the chance to translate his hardline rhetoric into concrete policies, potentially reshaping Austria’s political landscape. His past actions, including contentious policies as Interior Minister and inflammatory rhetoric regarding immigration and international relations, offer a glimpse into the potential direction of his leadership.
