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Who were the two men competing to be Austria's next president? Who are the two men who competed to be Austria's next president?
(about 2 hours later)
The man who saw off a presidential challenge from an anti-immigrant populist is Alexander van der Bellen, a tall and austere 72-year-old retired economics professor, who has often called himself “a child of refugees”. Alexander Van der Bellen, the man who narrowly saw off a far-right challenge to become – albeit largely by default – the first Green head of state in western Europe, is a tall, austere 72-year-old retired economics professor who has often called himself “a child of refugees”.
Van der Bellen’s father was born in Russia to a family descended from Dutch immigrants and his mother was born in Estonia – from where both fled when the former Soviet Union invaded in 1940, eventually settling in Austria. A Green MP for 18 years before leaving parliament in 2012 to become a popular Vienna city councillor, Van der Bellen ran as an independent – although his campaign, which benefited from broad support particularly on the centre-left aimed at keeping out his nationalist rival – was backed financially by the Greens.
A Vienna city councillor since leaving parliament in 2012, Van der Bellen, who is staunchly pro-European, led the Austrian Greens from 1997 to 2008, when the party emerged as the country’s fourth biggest behind the Social Democrats, conservative Austrian People’s party and theFreedom party. Having consistently scored more highly than the party, he resigned his membership on Monday, saying the president needed to be above party politics.
Related: Far-right candidate narrowly defeated in Austrian presidential electionRelated: Far-right candidate narrowly defeated in Austrian presidential election
He stepped down as leader in 2008 when the Greens lost votes for the first time in a decade, but has remained a highly popular figure, consistently scoring far higher than the party. He ran as an independent in the 2016 presidential race, although the Greens are supporting his campaign financially. Viewed by many conservatives as too leftwing, and by more militant Greens as not radical enough, Van der Bellen spent the early part of his political career in the Social Democrats and even flirted briefly with Freemasonry.
Aware of the need to appeal to voters a long way outside the party’s normal base, Van der Bellen, who lists 19th-century Russian literature among his interests, has not shied away from espousing a few traditionalist traits. A schoolmasterly, sometimes even hectoring, campaigner known as Sascha in reference to his Russian roots, he led the Greens from 1997 to 2008, turning the party into the country’s fourth biggest political force and stepping down only after elections in which it lost votes for the first time in a decade.
His campaign videos have featured some unabashed yodelling, his speeches have often referred to the attachment he feels to his Tyrolean heimat (homeland), and he has repeatedly stressed the social duties and obligation to integrate of Austria’s 90,000 newly arrived refugees. A heavy smoker – “I once quit for four months … but why should I torture myself at my age?” – and outspoken supporter of gay marriage, the divorced and recently remarried father of two collected more than 4,000 signatures from Austrian public figures and celebrities during his presidential campaign.
Van der Bellen’s father was born in Russia to a family descended from Dutch immigrants. His mother was born in Estonia, from where both fled when the Red Army invaded in 1940, moving first to Germany and eventually settling in Austria.
Aware of the need to appeal to voters a long way outside the party’s normal base, Van der Bellen, who lists 19th-century Russian literature and Donald Duck cartoons among his interests, has not shied away from espousing a few traditionalist traits.
Related: Austria election: far-right candidate and rival tied at 50% in exit poll
His campaign videos have featured some unabashed yodelling, his speeches have often referred to the attachment he feels to his Tyrolean Heimat (homeland), and he has repeatedly stressed the social duties and obligation to integrate of Austria’s 90,000 newly arrived refugees.
That stance comes in stark contrast to the rhetoric of Norbert Hofer, who has said that “Islam has no place in Austria”. During the campaign he warned he would not hesitate to dissolve the government – a presidential prerogative – if it did not act against immigration.That stance comes in stark contrast to the rhetoric of Norbert Hofer, who has said that “Islam has no place in Austria”. During the campaign he warned he would not hesitate to dissolve the government – a presidential prerogative – if it did not act against immigration.
Despite Hofer’s cultivated image as the moderate and friendly face of Austria’s far-right Freedom party (FPÖ), some see him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, an extremist deftly dressed up in smart suits, smooth talk and an easy charm. Despite Hofer’s cultivated image as the moderate and friendly face of Austria’s far-right Freedom party (FPÖ), some see him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, an extremist deftly dressed in smart suits, smooth talk and an easy charm.
The 45-year-old son of a local councillor and electric power station director, Hofer was born in Burgenland, Austria’s easternmost and least prosperous state, trained as an aeronautical engineer and spent his early career at Lauda Air.The 45-year-old son of a local councillor and electric power station director, Hofer was born in Burgenland, Austria’s easternmost and least prosperous state, trained as an aeronautical engineer and spent his early career at Lauda Air.
Related: Austria election: far-right candidate and rival tied at 50% in exit poll
The father of four and a keen, Glock-carrying gun enthusiast, he worked his way steadily up the regional and then national ranks of the nationalist and anti-immigration Freedom party, eventually becoming a trusted adviser to Heinz-Christian Strache, the party’s hardline leader since 2005.The father of four and a keen, Glock-carrying gun enthusiast, he worked his way steadily up the regional and then national ranks of the nationalist and anti-immigration Freedom party, eventually becoming a trusted adviser to Heinz-Christian Strache, the party’s hardline leader since 2005.
Analysts credit Hofer – who has walked with the help of a stick since a serious paragliding accident in 2003 – with persuading the party to change course, tacking away from Strache’s favoured extremist, often racist brand of far-right politics and towards a more moderate-seeming (and vote-winning) focus on employment, incomes and welfare.
Related: Fear of migrants and loathing of elites drive a small Austrian town to far rightRelated: Fear of migrants and loathing of elites drive a small Austrian town to far right
His slick, unashamedly populist, Eurosceptic but largely uncontroversial campaign, promising to “put Austria first” with the slogan “Unspoilt, honest, good”, saw him collect 35% of the first round vote in the presidential elections, his party’s best national score since its formation in 1956. Analysts credit Hofer – who has walked with the help of a stick since a serious paragliding accident in 2003 – with persuading the party to change course, tacking away from Strache’s favoured extremist, often racist brand of far-right politics and towards a more moderate-seeming (and vote-winning) focus on employment, incomes and welfare.
His slick, unashamedly populist, Eurosceptic but largely uncontroversial campaign, promising to “put Austria first” with the slogan “Unspoilt, honest, good”, saw him collect 35% of the first-round vote in the presidential elections, his party’s best national score since its formation in 1956.
When Austrians voted in the second round, however, they put him second. In a concession message posted on Facebook, Hofer urged his supporters to not be downcast. “I will remain loyal to you,” he wrote, “and make my contribution to a positive future for Austria.”When Austrians voted in the second round, however, they put him second. In a concession message posted on Facebook, Hofer urged his supporters to not be downcast. “I will remain loyal to you,” he wrote, “and make my contribution to a positive future for Austria.”