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FPÖ

Austrian far-right leader weds for second time

The head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) Heinz-Christian Strache (47) has married for the second time.

Austrian far-right leader weds for second time
Photo: Facebook.com/HC Strache

He and former weather reporter Philippa Beck – who is 20 years his junior – tied the knot at a civil ceremony in Austria’s picturesque Wachau Valley on Friday. The bride told the Österreich newspaper that the couple plan “to have a church wedding next summer, in June or July”.

Strache wore a traditional Tracht jacket with Lederhosen and the bride wore a white lace Dirndl-style dress, with a floral wreath in her hair.

Beck won a modelling contest in 2007 and was then chosen to present a weather show for Österreich’s online portal. She also worked as a press officer for the populist Eurosceptic Team Stronach party.

She and Strache started their relationship last year, and made their first public appearance as a couple at the annual Hunter’s Ball in January this year. She told local media that she and Strache had been friends for several years before they became a couple.

The couple celebrated the occasion with family and close friends. The Upper Austrian entrepreneur Karl Ochsner was reportedly Strache’s best man, and the Freedom Party’s presidential candidate Norbert Hofer and the deputy mayor of Vienna Johann Gudenus were among the guests.

Strache was previously married to Daniela Plachutta, the daughter of the Viennese restaurant-owner Ewald Plachutta. They have two children together.