Economics
Austria Is Poised to Boost European Nationalists Next
- Freedom Party riding anti-Islam platform into weekend election
- Austrian outcome may influence stance on Russia, euro area
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Europe’s nationalists are about to get another boost when Austrians vote in an election this weekend that’s likely to give the euro-critical Freedom Party a share of power.
Three weeks after voters lifted a far-right opposition party into parliament in Germany, its smaller neighbor is poised to go further and potentially pave the way for a government with the Freedom Party as junior partner. Though the euro’s economic benefits make radical policy shifts unlikely, such an outcome would leave German Chancellor Angela Merkel facing a more prickly ally to the south as she seeks to keep the EU united.