"FLYING CARPET"
The FPO has doubled down on its anti-immigrant rhetoric, apparently hoping to shift the focus onto one of its core issues even though that has moved down the list of voters' concerns as Europe's migration crisis has eased.
"Islam is a system ... of subjugation and intolerance," Hofer told the rally. Austria has around 700,000 Muslims, roughly 8 percent of its population of just under 9 million.
FPO hardliner and former Interior Minister Herbert Kickl said other parties had "rolled out the carpet for Islam", adding: "When I am interior minister we will start pulling the carpet in, dear friends, bit by bit, centimetre by centimetre, and we will turn the carpet into a flying carpet."
The Greens, whose support has surged to roughly 13 percent from less than 4 percent two years ago as concerns about the environment have grown, warned the FPO could return to power.
"Should there again be a government of this persuasion, corruption and right-wing extremism, or with it at least? We say no," Greens leader Werner Kogler told his party's closing rally.
Kurz has, however, declined to be drawn on his preference.
In a debate on Thursday evening, Neos leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger asked him why he would not rule out a coalition with the FPO, which she said is not fit to govern.
"We as a People's Party traditionally never rule out a democratically elected party. We will also not do that this time. If I am elected, we will hold talks with all parties," he replied.
