Europe to keep ‘watchful eye on’ Austria after far-right coalition

Mr Kurz’s OVP and the FPO have already agreed on their stance on Europe. 

Both parties oppose deeper political integration among EU members states and seek to have more powers returned to national governments.

They have demanded changes to the way it has forced nations to integrate.

They also oppose Turkey’s membership of the bloc.

Both parties have agreed to move some departments that deal with European affairs, including the task force preparing Austria’s EU presidency in the second half of next year, to the chancellery headed by Mr Kurz. 

And the FPÖ is poised to take control of the Foreign Ministry.

Chancellor Christian Kern expressed his disappointment that he believes the new government is unlikely be pro-EU.

He said: “I am convinced Europe has structural flaws, which need correcting by a bigger more intensive cooperation, namely not only a currency union but also building an economic union. 

“This will be an advantage for European citizens.

“In Austria we used to keep our distance and refuse to have anything to do with integration. I don’t think this is in Austria’s interests.

“If you look at how far we have come together – with the crisis in 2007, which increased in 2008, continued on in 2010 with the Greece crisis which continued on, all the way to today’s discussion about the banking union – we can see that Europe was able to find concrete solutions to real problems.”