Austria’s Presidential Election Too Close To Call

Tensions are high after the Austrian presidential election resulted in a near-even split between the far-right candidate Norbert Hofer and the independent Alexander Van der Bellen. Hofer had a 3.8% lead as of Sunday night, but the postal votes had yet to be counted. Europe’s migrant crisis has had a polarizing effect on the elections, as is evident by the candidates’ parties. For the first time since World War II, all of the main centrist parties were knocked out in the first round. Presidents of both the European Commission and the European Parliament have warned against a far-right victory, but the country itself is split. Official results are expected today.

 

Good Read: A Country-by-Country Guide To European Far-Right Parties