Will an Austrian populist chancellor sit at the EU’s council table?

What implications would Herbert Kickl’s rise to Austria’s chancellorship, as the leader of the Eurosceptic, anti-immigration, and pro-Russian Freedom Party, have for Brussels and the European Union?

Today Radio Schuman answers this question with centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) MEP Reinhold Lopatka.

After the resignation of Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and the collapse of centrist coalition talks, President Alexander Van der Bellen has tasked Herbert Kickl, leader of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), with forming a new government.

The FPÖ, which won 28.8% of the vote in September’s elections, is now negotiating with the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), despite the latter’s initial reluctance. If successful, Austria would normalise a coalition between centrist and far-right forces, potentially bringing a Eurosceptic, pro-Russian, and anti-immigration leader to the EU stage, aligning closely with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.

Today we also take a look at a European court case about data privacy and the most punctual airlines worldwide – spoiler alert: the ranking may challenge your expectations!

Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by  Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.