RIED IM INNKREIS, Austria — Herbert Kickl laid out his ‘Phoenix’ plan Saturday at the FPÖ’s annual Ash Wednesday gathering in the Jahnturnhalle, framing it as a path ‘back to the island of the blessed.’

The far-right party’s federal leader demanded a ‘re-democratization’ through a Third Republic. He rejected claims that it would end democracy. ‘If politics fails basic needs, we need system change,’ Kickl told the crowd of roughly 2,000. His blueprint includes no new taxes, bans on increases, a ‘state funeral’ for the EU Green Deal, ‘Fortress Austria’ borders, a prohibition on political Islam, an immediate asylum stop and remigration.

Kickl spared no one in his assault on rivals. He called the coalition a ‘unified party’ and the government a brain-dead body propped up by system media. Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the SPÖ draws fewer fans than a tram set, Kickl quipped. He predicted ÖVP club chair August Wöginger would switch to ‘Augustine’ post-trial.

Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, dubbed ‘NATO-Beate’ by both Kickl and Upper Austria Deputy Governor Manfred Haimbuchner, drew fire for accepting a medal from Ukraine. ‘Like the Pope taking an award from a brothel,’ Kickl said. He urged Ukraine to naturalize her as a ‘donation in kind.’

Haimbuchner, eyeing the 2027 governor race, kept his 32-minute speech focused federally. He hailed U.S. President Donald Trump for sparking a conservative shift and ending ‘woke’ rule, while exposing European failings. Chancellor Christian Stocker prays daily no one notices he’s in charge, Haimbuchner claimed. Babler botched his Traiskirchen mayor gig in a spot smaller than the hall. Meinl-Reisinger flings herself at foreign powers.

The deputy governor skipped local targets like Governor Thomas Stelzer, his ÖVP partner. Kickl filled the gap, saying Stelzer’s ‘knees are shaking’ over his role in the ‘traffic light coalition’ betrayal — the Second Republic’s worst.

Haimbuchner jabbed media ‘Marxists’ who can’t tie ties and mistake ‘Sakko’ for sake. The FPÖ, fans of Gigi D’Agostino, has revolutionized TV and eyes radio next.

No counter-protests disrupted the event. Instead, 20 groups including kuli – Kultur.Land.Impulse, the Upper Austrian Network against Right-Wing Extremism and Racism, Grannies against the Right and KUPF Upper Austria held a ‘Cultural Political Ash Wednesday’ in Ried. Expert Andreas Peham from the Documentation Archive of the Austrian Resistance spoke. Wels Antifa ran its usual event at Schloss Puchberg education center.

Opponents panned Kickl Thursday. SPÖ manager Klaus Seltenheim called it a ‘riot course’ of insults with zero content. ‘Good the FPÖ isn’t governing — we’d suffer massive damage,’ he said. Her ‘donation’ remark was a ‘disgusting misogynistic lapse.’

Green leader Leonore Gewessler slammed FPÖ’s Russia ties as ‘pseudo-patriotism.’ Kickl kowtows to the ‘murderous regime,’ she said; he’d wave Russian flags in beer tents if honest. No solutions, just bad jokes — a betrayal of those seeking relief. Kickl defends super-rich heirs amid inflation, mocking everyday Austrians, Gewessler added.