The prospect of the far-right politician Herbert Kickl becoming Chancellor has sparked alarm among Austria’s cultural figures, who express a strong resolve to protect democratic values. Actors like Cornelius Obonya and theater director Nikolaus Habjan emphasize the threat to freedom of expression and independent media posed by Kickl and his party, the FPÖ. The potential shift towards a right-nationalist government raises concerns about funding cuts to the arts and a decline in public discourse, leading some artists to reflect on emigration options in light of diminishing civil liberties.