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| Austria far right thwarted, Van der Bellen elected president | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Alexander Van der Bellen has won Austria's presidential election, preventing Norbert Hofer from becoming the EU's first far-right head of state. | Alexander Van der Bellen has won Austria's presidential election, preventing Norbert Hofer from becoming the EU's first far-right head of state. |
| Mr Hofer led narrowly after Sunday's election but postal votes gave Mr Van der Bellen victory by 50.3% to 49.7%. | Mr Hofer led narrowly after Sunday's election but postal votes gave Mr Van der Bellen victory by 50.3% to 49.7%. |
| Mr Van der Bellen campaigned on a pro-EU platform backed by the Greens. | |
| Mr Hofer, of the Freedom Party, tapped into anti-EU sentiment and fears about rising numbers of asylum seekers. He conceded victory on his Facebook page. | Mr Hofer, of the Freedom Party, tapped into anti-EU sentiment and fears about rising numbers of asylum seekers. He conceded victory on his Facebook page. |
| Mr Hofer, 45, said it was a sad day and that he would have gladly served as president. | Mr Hofer, 45, said it was a sad day and that he would have gladly served as president. |
| "But please don't be disheartened. The effort in this election campaign is not wasted, but is an investment for the future." | "But please don't be disheartened. The effort in this election campaign is not wasted, but is an investment for the future." |
| 'Relief' | 'Relief' |
| Announcing the result, the interior ministry said Mr Van der Bellen had won 2,254,484 votes to Mr Hofer's 2,223,458, a margin of 31,026 ballots. | Announcing the result, the interior ministry said Mr Van der Bellen had won 2,254,484 votes to Mr Hofer's 2,223,458, a margin of 31,026 ballots. |
| Mr Hofer had led Mr Van der Bellen by 51.9% to 48.1% after counting on Sunday. But the 750,000 postal votes - roughly 12% of Austria's 6.4 million registered voters - swayed the result. | Mr Hofer had led Mr Van der Bellen by 51.9% to 48.1% after counting on Sunday. But the 750,000 postal votes - roughly 12% of Austria's 6.4 million registered voters - swayed the result. |
| Although Mr Van der Bellen, 72, is officially independent, he led Austria's Greens for a decade and some European Green politicians were hailing him as the world's first elected Green head of state. | Although Mr Van der Bellen, 72, is officially independent, he led Austria's Greens for a decade and some European Green politicians were hailing him as the world's first elected Green head of state. |
| The campaign was fierce at times. Mr Van der Bellen said he did not want Austria to be led by a "populist right-wing, pan-Germanic fraternity member" and even urged voters "who don't like me but perhaps like Hofer even less to vote for me". | The campaign was fierce at times. Mr Van der Bellen said he did not want Austria to be led by a "populist right-wing, pan-Germanic fraternity member" and even urged voters "who don't like me but perhaps like Hofer even less to vote for me". |
| Mr Hofer had been photographed sporting the German colours of the nationalist Marko-Germania student fraternity, which stands for "the German cultural community" and bears the slogan "Honour, Freedom, Fatherland". | Mr Hofer had been photographed sporting the German colours of the nationalist Marko-Germania student fraternity, which stands for "the German cultural community" and bears the slogan "Honour, Freedom, Fatherland". |
| At his swearing-in as Freedom Party candidate, Mr Hofer wore a cornflower in his lapel, which was a Nazi symbol in the 1930s. | At his swearing-in as Freedom Party candidate, Mr Hofer wore a cornflower in his lapel, which was a Nazi symbol in the 1930s. |
| French PM Manuel Valls said in a Twitter post: "It's a relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism. Everyone in Europe must draw lessons from this." | French PM Manuel Valls said in a Twitter post: "It's a relief to see the Austrians reject populism and extremism. Everyone in Europe must draw lessons from this." |
| Is Europe lurching to the far right? | Is Europe lurching to the far right? |
| Europe's nationalist surge, country by country | Europe's nationalist surge, country by country |
| Alexander Van der Bellen | Alexander Van der Bellen |
| Alexander Van der Bellen is the first environmental activist to become Austrian president. He is a chain-smoker and left-leaning liberal committed to the EU. | |
| He is the son of aristocratic refugees from Russia's 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. First they escaped from Pskov to Estonia, then in 1940 they fled the Soviet occupation - the communist takeover of the Baltic states. | |
| The family settled in Austria's Tyrol region. Alexander grew up in Kaunertal and does not speak Russian. His surname harks back to Dutch ancestry. | |
| He studied economics at the University of Innsbruck and was later appointed professor at Vienna University. He retired from academia in 2009. | |
| He was elected to parliament for the Greens in 1994, and from 1997-2008 was the party's spokesman. | |
| In a TV debate, one of the few things he agreed on with Mr Hofer was that neither would accept TTIP - the free trade deal the EU is negotiating with the US. | |
| What was the breakdown of the vote? | What was the breakdown of the vote? |
| In nine out of Austria's 10 main cities Mr Van der Bellen came top, whereas Mr Hofer dominated the rural areas, the Austrian broadcaster ORF reported (in German). | In nine out of Austria's 10 main cities Mr Van der Bellen came top, whereas Mr Hofer dominated the rural areas, the Austrian broadcaster ORF reported (in German). |
| Support for Mr Hofer was exceptionally strong among manual workers - nearly 90%. The vote for Mr Van der Bellen was much stronger among people with a university degree or other higher education qualifications. | Support for Mr Hofer was exceptionally strong among manual workers - nearly 90%. The vote for Mr Van der Bellen was much stronger among people with a university degree or other higher education qualifications. |
| Support for Mr Hofer among men was 60%, while among women it was 60% for Mr Van der Bellen. | Support for Mr Hofer among men was 60%, while among women it was 60% for Mr Van der Bellen. |
| What powers does the Austrian president have? | What powers does the Austrian president have? |
| It is mostly a ceremonial post. But the president does have the power to dissolve the National Council - the more powerful lower house of parliament. That triggers a general election. The president can only do that once for a particular reason - he cannot use the same grounds to dissolve it again. | It is mostly a ceremonial post. But the president does have the power to dissolve the National Council - the more powerful lower house of parliament. That triggers a general election. The president can only do that once for a particular reason - he cannot use the same grounds to dissolve it again. |
| It is the chancellor's job to appoint government ministers. And the chancellor has the power to dismiss the government. But ministers have to be formally sworn in by the president. | |
| Have you voted in the Austrian presidential election? If you are happy to discuss the election, email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. | Have you voted in the Austrian presidential election? If you are happy to discuss the election, email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |