US and UK intelligence allegedly cautioned Austria against FPÖ joining government

Anonymous sources claim that the CIA and British intelligence agencies issued written warnings to Austria about the prospect of the Freedom Party (FPÖ) joining a government in early 2025. The alerts were reportedly raised during coalition negotiations between the election-winning FPÖ and the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), which fell apart on February 12 over the disputed control of the Interior Ministry, responsible for the domestic security service DSN.

The foreign warnings are said to have reinforced the ÖVP’s argument that the FPÖ should not oversee the interior portfolio. Neither the Austrian Interior Ministry nor the British embassy confirmed the reports, and the U.S. embassy offered only a standard statement about respecting Austria’s democratic choices. After the failed talks, the ÖVP formed a three-party coalition with the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos, led by Chancellor Christian Stocker, which was sworn in on March 3.