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Austrian presidential election to be postponed due to faulty glue Austrian presidential election to be postponed due to faulty glue
(35 minutes later)
A rerun of Austria’s presidential election is set to be postponed because the glue on postal votes is not sticking, the interior minister has said.A rerun of Austria’s presidential election is set to be postponed because the glue on postal votes is not sticking, the interior minister has said.
“We are going to request that parliament approves a postponement of the election,” Wolfgang Sobotka told reporters. He said possible new dates for the contest, which had been scheduled for 2 October, were 27 November and 4 December.“We are going to request that parliament approves a postponement of the election,” Wolfgang Sobotka told reporters. He said possible new dates for the contest, which had been scheduled for 2 October, were 27 November and 4 December.
The postponement is a further embarrassment for Austria and the government of the chancellor, Christian Kern.The postponement is a further embarrassment for Austria and the government of the chancellor, Christian Kern.
Austria has been without a president since 8 July, when Heinz Fischer stepped down. He was replaced on an interim basis by the speaker of parliament and two deputy speakers.Austria has been without a president since 8 July, when Heinz Fischer stepped down. He was replaced on an interim basis by the speaker of parliament and two deputy speakers.
The result of a presidential election in May was annulled in July after Austria’s highest court upheld claims of irregularities made by the rightwing Freedom party. Independent environmentalist Alexander Van der Bellen narrowly beat Norbert Hofer of the rightwing Freedom Party (FPÖ) by 31,000 votes in a run-off after the first round of voting in April’s election.
The election, a run-off after the first round in April, saw the independent environmentalist Alexander Van der Bellen narrowly beat Norbert Hofer of the (FPÖ) by 31,000 votes. But the result was annulled in July after Austria’s highest court upheld claims of irregularities made by the FPÖ.
The FPÖ has stoked concerns about immigration and a victory for Hofer would be a major boost to surging populist movements across Europe.The FPÖ has stoked concerns about immigration and a victory for Hofer would be a major boost to surging populist movements across Europe.