Austrian far-right party's triumph in presidential poll could spell turmoil.

Austrian far-right party's triumph in presidential poll could spell turmoil

Freedom party’s Norbert Hofer, who won 36% of vote, has threatened to dissolve parliament before 2018 elections

Austria is braced for political turmoil with fears that the landslide victory for a rightwing populist and gun-carrying candidate in Sunday’s first-round presidential vote could trigger snap elections.

Norbert Hofer, of the rightwing Freedom party (FPÖ), defied pollsters’ predictions to beat the Green party’s Alexander Van der Bellen into second place, gaining 36% of the vote. The two candidates will go head to head in a run-off ballot on 22 May.

While the presidential post is mainly a ceremonial role, Hofer has threatened to make use of a right to dissolve parliament before the 2018 elections, warning other candidates in a TV debate that “you will be surprised by what can be done [by a president]”.

Hofer, a youthful 45-year-old who is partially paralysed after a paragliding accident, has campaigned for disability rights and is seen as having lent a friendly face to a party that balances virulently anti-immigration and Eurosceptic messages with leftist stances on welfare issues, led by firebrand Heinz-Christian Strache.

Hofer, who claims to protect himself in the “uncertain times” of the refugee crisis by carrying a Glock gun, scored overwhelming victories in all of Austria’s states apart from Vienna. In Styria, Burgenland and Carinthia – border states most affected by the refugee trail from the Mediterranean to central Europe – Hofer managed to gain 40% or more.

Source.

Remembers me of Trump.

Hmm.

Which other right-wing, Austrian-born politician had a two-syllable surname that began with "H" and ended with "er"?

:-O

HitlER, HofER

StalIN, PutIN

History is repeating itself, man. WWIII is around the corner! :-P

In times like this, it's good to know that Mother Russia once again has a formidable leader who can confront the evil that is festering in the West.

vote fraud

His real name was Schroekengruber or something like that. But it didn't sound German enough so he adopted Hitler.

People have been calling it. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

Don't worry most populists that have the support of and represent the people get assassinated. This guy will be talking politics with huey long soon enough.