Neutral Free Austria Federation
The Neutral Free Austria Federation is a small Austrian political party. The NFÖ is a right-wing, eurosceptic party that was founded in 2003 and supports direct democratic reforms, Austrian neutrality, and Austrian exit from the EU. It operates mainly as a small national party that occasionally participates in elections and forms alliances with other small political groups. It is not represented in the Austrian National Council.
History
Founding and early years
On March 17, 2003, the Austrian Ministry of the Interior received the Neutral Free Austria Federation's statutes, officially establishing it as a political party in Austria. Later that year, on October 11, 2003, the founding meeting was held in Salzburg. Innsbruck is home to the party's headquarters.In order to maintain Austria's neutrality, increase democratic participation, and reclaim national sovereignty from supranational institutions, its founders and early leaders formed the NFÖ as a coalition of small groups and individual activists.
Key figures
Rudolf Pomaroli, the party's chairman and principal public representative, has been linked to the organization. The NFÖ has participated in numerous electoral campaigns and alliances with minor parties that share similar ideologies under his direction.Ideology and platform
The program of the NFÖ is based on a number of key political stances:Neutrality: In order to reinstate and strengthen Austria's non-aligned status in international affairs, the party supports a rigorous interpretation of the country's constitutional neutrality. It makes the case that national independence and peace depend on neutrality.
Withdrawal from the European Union: NFÖ demands Austria's withdrawal from the EU, claiming that Austrian sovereignty and democratic accountability are threatened by membership.
Direct Democracy: In order to boost direct citizen participation in significant political decisions, the party advocates for the increased use of direct democratic instruments like referendums.
Christian Conservatism and Cultural Policies: The NFÖ's platform reflects cultural conservatism and Christian-influenced values, even though it does not emphasize a traditional religious identity.
Along with these fundamental positions, the NFÖ has backed initiatives like bolstering regional economic systems, local environmental protection, and denouncing what it considers to be undemocratic political practices in Austrian governance.
Activities and public presence
Conferences, panel discussions, public information stands, and the publication of the quarterly magazine Neues aus Wür are just a few of the outreach initiatives that the NFÖ undertakes. It regularly plans or takes part in neutrality-promoting events, peace policy discussions, and conversations about current geopolitical issues like military alliances and sanctions.In addition, the party has backed citizen campaigns and parliamentary initiatives, such as the Parliamentary Citizens' Initiative "Stoppt die Sanktionen gegen Russland – sofort!" to highlight its wider foreign policy stances.
Elections
National
Under the name "EU Withdrawal – Neutral Free Austria", the NFÖ first ran in the 2006 Austrian legislative election. It was on the ballot in a number of states, including Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Carinthia, Salzburg, and Vienna, but it only garnered roughly 0.23 percent of the vote, far less than the 4 percent federal threshold needed for representation on the National Council.The NFÖ has maintained a limited electoral presence in subsequent elections, supporting allied lists or small electoral alliances in some polls while directly participating in others. For instance, party leader Pomaroli ran for the FLÖ, a different list, in the 2017 legislative election. The NFÖ attempted to create an Öxit Platform for Homeland and Environment, Neutrality, and Direct Democracy for the 2019 election, but they were unable to obtain enough signatures to be included on the ballot.
European Parliament
The EU Exit Party and NFÖ formed the electoral platform EU-STOP for the 2014 European Parliament election. Despite receiving 77,897 votes, the coalition was unable to secure any seats.Alliances and cooperation
The NFÖ has occasionally collaborated with other electoral platforms and small parties that share its fundamental objectives of democratic reform and Euroskepticism:EU-STOP in the 2014 European elections.
In the 2015 Viennese elections, there was yet another electoral partnership with the EU Exit Party.
interactions with regional and issue-specific platforms, like Initiative Homeland and Environment in 2019, despite not being able to access the ballot.
The NFÖ's strategy of forming alliances with small parties that share its ideology in order to increase its political influence and reach is reflected in these partnerships.
Positions
Neutrality and foreign policy
The significance of Austria's 1955 declaration of neutrality—a constitutional pledge not to host foreign bases or join military alliances—is emphasized by the NFÖ. It makes the case that neutral status ought to be completely reinstated and protected from what it perceives to be undermining factors like military alliances and incorporation into international defense systems.EU withdrawal
The party is in line with other like-minded minor groups in Austria that challenge the perceived democratic deficit and loss of sovereign control associated with EU membership because of its strong Euroscepticism and support for EU withdrawal.Democratic reform
In order to improve public control over political decision-making and lessen reliance on representative institutions alone, NFÖ advocates for the adoption of more direct democratic tools, such as those found in Switzerland.Organization
The NFÖ has a small party executive and volunteer base spread across several Austrian states, and its chairman is Obmann. Publication of educational materials, event planning, and upholding a digital presence through its official website are all examples of its organizational activities.The NFÖ's influence is still dependent on grassroots organizing, coalition campaigns with similar small parties, and public advocacy because it does not currently have seats in either national or regional parliaments.