The scandal was triggered by a release of footage showing Strache allegedly discussing exchanging government contracts for help in elections with an alleged niece of a Latvian oligarch. The woman was later revealed to be a Bosnian student who was paid for the setup.
Polls suggest OVP could win getting with about 34 percent of the votes and would then have to decide either to once again form a coalition with FPO or to turn left to the Greens for a new coalition.
The Socialist Party (SPO) is predicted to receive 22 percent of the votes and FPO is eyeing third place with 20 percent of the votes. The Green party is expected to get 12 percent of the support.
OVP-FPO
Zsolt Enyedi, professor at the Department of Political Science at Central European University, noted that OVP is likely to get the biggest number of the votes though not the absolute majority necessary for the formation of the government.
"OVP will get plurality but not an absolute majority, the Greens will show the most increase in votes, and that Kurz will favour a coalition with an FPO that accepts a marginal position in the government e.g. they may withdraw the previous minister of interior affairs, Kickl", the expert said.
According to Enyedi, Kurz has many options for forming the ruling coalition and his choice of the coalition partner will signal what his politics will be.
"Whether things move towards more liberalism or the conflict about immigration will continue to structure debates", the expert added.
The same point of view was echoed by Director of European Studies at SETA Foundation Dr. Enes Bayrakli stating about his expectations of an OVP victory.
"I think according to latest polls the People’s Party [OVP] they will get a majority of the votes. That is for sure. But they won’t be able to form a government without a coalition. They will need to build a coalition", Bayrakli said.
The expert noted that though there are some disagreements between OVP and FPO they are likely to be overcome.
Domestic and Foreign Policy
Dr. Enes Bayrakli said that Austria's domestic policies were likely to continue shifting rightward.
A member of Italy's Lega party, Andrea Picchielli, praised new FPO leader Norbert Hofer's efforts in trying to get closer to OVP underlining common views.
"Austria traditionally has been active in 'bridge-building to the east', increasing contacts at all levels with Eastern Europe and the states of the former Soviet Union and I think the new government will go with this foreign policy view, just further from Moscow and increasing the contacts with the Russophobic countries, that were afraid of the Russian friendly vision of Austria", Picchielli explained.
In turn, Dr. Bayrakli excluded any change in Austria's foreign policy following the election.
"There might be some radical change if the FPO becomes the only, first-party and then they will have the upper hand and they might push for foreign policy change may be in terms of the European Union, they may ask for a tougher policy on certain issues. But now when OVP has the upper hand I don’t think so", the expert said.
Talking about domestic politics, the expert expressed the opinion that it will turn more to ensuring security and going tougher on migration.
The recent EU migrant crisis and the liberal response by the bloc's authorities have prompted a backlash from right-wing parties advocating tougher border control and sending migrants back to their countries of origin in the Middle East and Africa.