Austria's president, Alexander Van der Bellen, has tasked incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer with forming a new government, deliberately excluding the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), which topped the polls with 29% in the recent general elections. Despite being the election winner, the FPÖ's leader, Herbert Kickl, has been deemed too controversial by all mainstream parties, who have ruled out coalition talks with him. Nehammer's conservative People's Party (ÖVP) will need to ally with left-leaning parties to secure a parliamentary majority, as they also reject any partnership with the FPÖ. In Bulgaria, a parallel situation is unfolding with an upcoming election on October 27, where low voter turnout is expected, and rising support for far-right parties like Vazrazhdane poses a significant threat amidst ongoing political instability. This reflects a broader trend across Europe, where populist and far-right parties are gaining traction yet facing barriers to governance. Both countries illustrate the tension between traditional political establishments and the rising far-right, which are struggling to translate electoral support into power.