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Austria sets a date for its snap election

Austria's snap election will be on October 15th, party chiefs agreed on Tuesday after the centrist coalition collapsed, the Austria Press Agency reported.

Published: 16 May 2017 16:58 CEST

Austria sets a date for its snap election

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. Photo: John Thys/AFP

The vote could see the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), whose candidate narrowly failed to be elected president in December, enter government.

The coalition between Chancellor Christian Kern's Social Democrats (SPOe) and the People's Party (OeVP) was meant to govern until 2018.

But after months of bickering, the centre-right OeVP on Sunday appointed a new chief, Sebastian Kurz, who called for early elections.

The anti-immigration FPOe, like other populist parties in Europe, has seen its support rise on the back of concerns about immigration, terrorism and falling living standards.

And like elsewhere, Austria's two main parties, which have governed the EU country since 1945, have seen their support slide as they fail to connect with voters.

The FPOe, led by social media-savvy Heinz-Christian Strache, 47, is running neck-and-neck with the SPOe on around 30 percent in opinion polls.

The OeVP is lagging behind in the low 20s. However, surveys suggest that Kurz, who is only 30, could revive his party's fortunes and even make it the most popular force.

Austria's parties will likely on Wednesday present a motion for setting the election date, the Austria Press Agency reported said. It was unclear when this will pass, however.

German, Italian and Austrian presidents make joint call for strong Europe

The joint letter was carried in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera a month before the June 6-9 elections, where far-right parties are expected to do well.

“We see that the fundamental values—our values—of pluralism, human rights, and the Rule of Law are being challenged, if not openly threatened, all over the world,” wrote the three leaders.

“At stake here is none other than the foundations of our democratic order.”

Although they all hold largely ceremonial roles, the presidents are all tasked with ensuring respect for their countries’ constitutions.

“It is therefore essential to defend democratic institutions and values, the guarantees of freedom, the independence of the media, the role of democratic political oppositions, the separation of powers, the value of limits to the exercise of power,” wrote Italy’s Sergio Mattarella, Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Austria’s Alexander van der Bellen.

In Italy, the far-right Brothers of Italy party is in first place and credited with 27 percent in polls — while in Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is at 15 percent in second place behind the main centre-right party.

In Austria, The Freedom Party (FPO) is also expected to make gains.

While Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — head of the Brothers of Italy — is staunchly pro-NATO and pro-Kyiv, other far-right parties such Matteo Salvini’s League and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France are accused of being pro-Russian.

The three presidents said more European unity was necessary to confront those “who question basic democratic principles”.

“Our liberal democratic order is deeply intertwined with the unification of Europe: by anchoring ourselves to a European community of values and legal norms, we have presented to the world a coexistence based on democratic order and peace,” they said.

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