Last year’s election saw the FPÖ win the most votes but remain excluded from government.
Human rights groups warn that the Austrian government is exaggerating migration problems to justify crackdowns, including curbs on family reunification. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNHCR and UNICEF have recently jointly expressed concern over Vienna’s suspension of family reunification for asylum seekers, highlighting potential violations of children’s rights.
Stocker, who initially denounced FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl as a threat to democracy and national security, now argues that mainstream parties must handle the far right on their own terms, rejecting the idea of a political “firewall.” Stocker has also been criticized for trying to form a government with the far right after initially failing to strike a deal with other centrist parties.
