Austria's anti-immigration Freedom Party has secured victory in the
first round of presidential elections. Exit polls show Norbert Hofer of
the FPÖ winning 36.7 percent of the votes in a landmark win for the
party.
The result means that for the first time since 1945, Austria will not have a president backed by either the Social Democrats (SPÖ) or the center-right People's Party (ÖVP).
The two candidates nominated by the ruling parties failed to make it to the runoff to be held on May 22, early exit polls showed.
SPÖ candidate Rudolf Hundstorfer came fourth with over 11 percent, level with ÖVP's Andreas Khol.
It is the Freedom Party's best-ever performance at the federal level since its creation after World War II, reflecting the Austrian voters' dissatisfaction with the status-quo.
"Like elsewhere in Europe, we are witnessing the downfall of the traditional parties," political analyst Peter Hajek told the AFP news agency.
The rising anti-migrant sentiment in Austria has also played a role in the FPÖ's phenomenal success, analysts say.
Read more: Austrian far-right party sweeps first round of presidential election | News | DW.COM | 24.04.2016
The result means that for the first time since 1945, Austria will not have a president backed by either the Social Democrats (SPÖ) or the center-right People's Party (ÖVP).
The two candidates nominated by the ruling parties failed to make it to the runoff to be held on May 22, early exit polls showed.
SPÖ candidate Rudolf Hundstorfer came fourth with over 11 percent, level with ÖVP's Andreas Khol.
It is the Freedom Party's best-ever performance at the federal level since its creation after World War II, reflecting the Austrian voters' dissatisfaction with the status-quo.
"Like elsewhere in Europe, we are witnessing the downfall of the traditional parties," political analyst Peter Hajek told the AFP news agency.
The rising anti-migrant sentiment in Austria has also played a role in the FPÖ's phenomenal success, analysts say.
Read more: Austrian far-right party sweeps first round of presidential election | News | DW.COM | 24.04.2016
No comments:
Post a Comment