The 78 -year -old Head of State, considered a guarantee of stability, could be elected in the first round.
Le Monde with AFP
The Austrians began to vote on Sunday October 9 for a presidential election which should renew the outgoing environmental president Alexander Van der Bellen, considered as a symbol of stability while the country, member of the EU, is confronted with a crisis energy and inflation.
Supported by a broad spectrum of the political class, it is credited with more than 50 % of the votes in the polls and seems to be off to win in the first round against six opponents, all men.
“The biggest competitor on Sunday will be the sofa,” quipped the 78 -year -old head of state on Friday at the end of his sympathizers. “If liberal democracy is close to your heart, then go to vote.”
The decline of the extreme right
The far -right Fpö party, which almost prevailed in 2016, would like to replay the match. But his candidate is little known: Walter Rosenkranz, 60, would collect only 15 % of the vote, against the current elections in Sweden and Italy.
Corruption affairs have lost ground in the Austrian far right, which had been the first in Europe to come close to victory in a presidential election six years ago. Founded by former Nazis, the FPö had finally lost with more than 46 % of the votes, after a twist election.
If the party had then accessed the government by forming a coalition with the conservatives of the young Sebastian Kurz, he had to leave power in 2019 after a incredible scandal and never found since his past glory.
End of vote at 5 p.m. 2>
In front of these eddies and the succession of chancers, Alexander Van der Bellen, with the traditionally embodied function to ensure the protocol, guaranteed the continuity of the State. This pro-European also passes to “integrate” according to Julia Partheymüller, of the University of Vienna, which is “very appreciated” in comparison with “multiple crises that many European countries face”.
In the alpine country of 9 million inhabitants, 6.4 million voters – including the Austro -American Arnold Schwarzenegger, the president’s weight support – are called to the ballot box for a six -year term. The polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 5 p.m. when the ballot boxes are expected.