Austrian Chancellor Calls for Legislative Elections Amid Far-Right Surge
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, of the conservative camp, has announced the scheduling of legislative elections in Austria for September 29th.
This decision comes in the wake of the European elections, where the far-right secured an unprecedented victory and is currently leading in the polls for the upcoming national elections, as reported by AFP.
During the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, Chancellor Nehammer declared that September 29th would be designated for the national elections, thus bringing an end to months of anticipation.
The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), which has held power in this prosperous Central European country since 1987, found itself in second place for the first time in a national election last Sunday, closely trailing the far-right party with a similar vote share.
According to polls, the Freedom Party (FPÖ, far-right) is expected to emerge victorious in the legislative elections, with support ranging between 26% and 31%, while the ÖVP and the Social Democrats are neck and neck at 21%.
These elections are set to occur exactly five years after the previous election, which saw the formation of an unprecedented coalition between Sebastian Kurz's conservatives and the Greens.
It is notable that President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly (the French parliament) on Sunday evening. This move followed the governing alliance's defeat in the European Parliament elections, where they lagged significantly behind the Rassemblement National (RN), led by Marine Le Pen.
"I am dissolving the National Assembly this evening, and shortly, I will sign the decree convening legislative elections. The first round will take place on June 30th, followed by the second round on July 7th," clarified the French president.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
