Austria gets world’s youngest leader
VIENNA: Austria’s f ar-right looked set Monday to return to power in a coalition with conservative “whizz-kid” Sebastian Kurz, the world’s youngest leader-in-waiting, in a fresh triumph for European populists.
The expected rightward shift in the wealthy European Union member state will pose a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Brexit and the rise of nationalists in countries like Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.
The People’s Party (OEVP) -rebooted by Kurz as a more hardline “movement” -- was projected to sweep up 31.7 percent of Sunday’s vote, with final results expected later this week.
In second place were the Social Democrats (SPOE) of incumbent Chancellor Christian Kern on 26.9 percent, closely followed by the eurosceptic Freedom Party (FPOE) on 26.0 percent.
Founded by ex-nazis in the 1950s, the FPOE’S result is close to its all-time record of 26.8 percent in 1999 under then-leader Joerg Haider, and twice that of their allies the Alternative for Germany (AFD) last month.
Kurz, 31, forced the snap vote after becoming OEVP chief in May and ending the acrimonious decade-long coalition with the SPOE.
He attracted supporters in droves by depicting himself as a breath of fresh air, talking tough on immigration and vowing to slash taxes and red tape.