Nazi song at far-right funeral causes outrage in Austria on eve of vote

A report that a Nazi song was sung at the funeral of a far-right ex-official in Austria caused outrage on Saturday, on the eve of national elections, for which the far right leads opinion polls.

The far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) -- which was founded by former Nazis -- is in a close race with the ruling conservatives to win Sunday's vote, which would mark a historic victory.

In the lead-up to the vote, FPOe leader Herbert Kickl has frequently employed terms reminiscent of the party's troubled past, including calling himself the future "Volkskanzler" -- the people's chancellor -- as Adolf Hitler was termed in the 1930s.

On Friday, several FPOe officials attended the Vienna funeral of FPOe former district counsellor Walter Sucher, where a Nazi song was sung, the Standard daily reported.

The Standard published a video it had received showing people attending a funeral at a cemetery, and standing by a grave singing a song evoking the "holy German Reich".

The FPOe did not immediately reply to an AFP request for comment, but in comments to Austrian news agency APA it condemned the way the incident had been politicised.

"To now want to politically abuse the funeral of a private person -- in the planning or shaping of which the FPOe was not involved in any way whatsoever -- is disrespectful and shabby," it said.

The Jewish Austrian Students group said it had filed a complaint with prosecutors over the video. In a statement, it called the incident an "alarm signal for Austria".

Political parties across the spectrum have also condemned the video.

In a post on X, the conservative People's Party (OeVP) reiterated it would not cooperate with Kickl -- who has "no qualms being associated with right-wing extremists" -- to form a government, urging people to vote OeVP to "strengthen the centre".

Social Democrats (SPOe) leader Andreas Babler said on X that the incident showed once again that "a democratic state cannot be created" with the FPOe.

The FPOe has frequently faced accusations of anti-Semitism, which it denies.

Under Kickl, the party has built on anger over migration, inflation and Covid restrictions to gain voters. It currently stands at 27 percent of voter support in opinion polls, just ahead of the OeVP at 25 percent.