Tyrol Freedom Party targets two-party coalition

The Tyrol branch of Austria’s Freedom Party, or FPÖ, wants to become the strongest party in the 2027 state election and form a two-party coalition, ORF Tirol reported Monday. Party leader Markus Abwerzger made the comments in the broadcaster’s summer interview, discussing polling, transport, housing and criticism over an FPÖ councillor’s contact with far-right activists.

A poll commissioned by ORF Tirol puts the FPÖ at 29 percent, level with the governing Austrian People’s Party, or ÖVP. Abwerzger said this pointed to another contest between the two parties for the state governor’s post.

“We are aiming to be the strongest party. Anything else would be understating our ambitions,” Abwerzger said. His goal, he added, was a coalition between the two strongest parties.

The interview also addressed a selfie Abwerzger recently posted on Instagram showing him alongside Innsbruck FPÖ councillor Fabian Walch. Walch had drawn criticism after attending a meeting with members of the far-right Identitarian movement.

Abwerzger described the selfie, captioned “Bad Boys”, as a provocation aimed at media outlets that had seen the incident as a major scandal. He said he had not discussed Walch’s participation in the far-right meeting during the hike where the photograph was taken.

Abwerzger identified security, social responsibility and transport as priorities for future political work. He criticised the state government’s handling of transit traffic and said it needed to move forward with plans for a truck slot system.

He also said he would not support the state government’s plans for the Fern Pass, which include building a tunnel and introducing a toll.

On housing, Abwerzger called for greater use of subsidised housing land to create affordable homes. He said only 90 of Tyrol’s 277 municipalities were using the option, asking why more had not done so.

Abwerzger, who was born in Vorarlberg, has led the Tyrol Freedom Party since 2013.