Austria is electing its next president and the counting is almost over. Exit polls showing a second six-year term for Alexander Van Der Bellen. He has received just over 56% of the votes.

Austria presidential election: Van Der Bellen says 'Europe has won'

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion.

Just days before key EU elections, Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was forced to resign in disgrace Saturday following explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting.

Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz -- whose 18-month coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been held up as a European model -- reacted by pulling the plug on their union.

"My preference is for early elections in September, if possible the beginning of September," Van der Bellen told journalists on Sunday after holding talks with Kurz.

The president will hold further talks with other party leaders over the coming weeks in order to fix a date.

The dramatic developments followed the publication by two German newspapers on Friday of footage from a sophisticated hidden-camera sting months before Austria's last parliamentary elections in 2017.

In the tapes -- of unknown provenance -- Strache is seen openly discussing the possibility of awarding public contracts in return for campaign help for the FPOe from a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch.

The woman says she specifically wants to gain control of the country's largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung.

Strache is seen suggesting that new owners could make staff changes and use the paper to help his party in its election campaign.

'Enough is enough'

Kurz said Saturday the latest revelations were the final straw after a string of FPOe-related scandals dogging the government.

"Enough is enough," the chancellor told a press conference in Vienna.

Strache for his part insisted in his emotional resignation statement that he had been the victim of a "targeted political attack" but also described his own actions as "stupid" and "irresponsible".

The FPOe was also due to meet on Sunday to confirm leadership changes after Strache's exit.

Neither Van der Bellen nor Kurz commented on who would replace the vice-chancellor in the run-up to elections and whether top FPOe politicians -- including controversial Interior Minister Herbert Kickl -- would be allowed to stay in post.

The damning revelations, which saw protesters take to the streets on Vienna on Saturday, broke as the campaign for European Parliament elections on May 23-26 was nearing its climax.

They risk dealing a blow to a far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and in which the FPOe plays a key part.

The FPOe's lead MEP candidate Harald Vilimsky had been due to attend a rally organised by Salvini in Milan on Saturday, but cancelled the trip because of the scandal.

Politicians 'for sale'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted to the news out of Austria by warning of the dangers of far-right politicians "for sale", who wanted to "destroy the Europe of our values".

The tapes contained a litany of other embarrassing material for Strache, and analysts predicted setbacks for the FPOe from its current position in the polls.

As well as repeating unsubstantiated rumours about Kurz, Strache also hinted at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny by going to a foundation linked to the FPOe.

Elsewhere in the recordings, he discussed the possible part-privatisation of public broadcaster ORF and expressed admiration for the media landscape in neighbouring Hungary, where press plurality has been severely curtailed under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Observers said the dramatic events of the past two days were almost a re-run of the last time that the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and FPOe went into coalition, in 2000.

Then as now, after only two years the OeVP chancellor -- in that case Wolfgang Schuessel -- felt compelled to call snap elections due to strife with his FPOe coalition partner.

In 2002, the OeVP emerged strengthened from the elections but it remains to be see if Kurz, like Schuessel before him, can avoid damage from the fallout.

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion.

Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen on Sunday called for fresh elections in September after a corruption scandal embroiling the far-right brought down the coalition government in spectacular fashion. Just days before key EU elections, Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache was forced to resign in disgrace Saturday following explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting. Conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz -- whose 18-month coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe) had been held up as a European model -- reacted by pulling the plug on their union. "My preference is for early elections in September, if possible the beginning of September," Van der Bellen told journalists on Sunday after holding talks with Kurz. The president will hold further talks with other party leaders over the coming weeks in order to fix a date. The dramatic developments followed the publication by two German newspapers on Friday of footage from a sophisticated hidden-camera sting months before Austria's last parliamentary elections in 2017. In the tapes -- of unknown provenance -- Strache is seen openly discussing the possibility of awarding public contracts in return for campaign help for the FPOe from a woman posing as the niece of a Russian oligarch. The woman says she specifically wants to gain control of the country's largest-circulation tabloid, the Kronen Zeitung. Strache is seen suggesting that new owners could make staff changes and use the paper to help his party in its election campaign. 'Enough is enough' Kurz said Saturday the latest revelations were the final straw after a string of FPOe-related scandals dogging the government. "Enough is enough," the chancellor told a press conference in Vienna. Strache for his part insisted in his emotional resignation statement that he had been the victim of a "targeted political attack" but also described his own actions as "stupid" and "irresponsible". The FPOe was also due to meet on Sunday to confirm leadership changes after Strache's exit. Neither Van der Bellen nor Kurz commented on who would replace the vice-chancellor in the run-up to elections and whether top FPOe politicians -- including controversial Interior Minister Herbert Kickl -- would be allowed to stay in post. The damning revelations, which saw protesters take to the streets on Vienna on Saturday, broke as the campaign for European Parliament elections on May 23-26 was nearing its climax. They risk dealing a blow to a far-right populist alliance marshalled by Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and in which the FPOe plays a key part. The FPOe's lead MEP candidate Harald Vilimsky had been due to attend a rally organised by Salvini in Milan on Saturday, but cancelled the trip because of the scandal. Politicians 'for sale' German Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted to the news out of Austria by warning of the dangers of far-right politicians "for sale", who wanted to "destroy the Europe of our values". The tapes contained a litany of other embarrassing material for Strache, and analysts predicted setbacks for the FPOe from its current position in the polls. As well as repeating unsubstantiated rumours about Kurz, Strache also hinted at ways political donations could escape legal scrutiny by going to a foundation linked to the FPOe. Elsewhere in the recordings, he discussed the possible part-privatisation of public broadcaster ORF and expressed admiration for the media landscape in neighbouring Hungary, where press plurality has been severely curtailed under nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Observers said the dramatic events of the past two days were almost a re-run of the last time that the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and FPOe went into coalition, in 2000. Then as now, after only two years the OeVP chancellor -- in that case Wolfgang Schuessel -- felt compelled to call snap elections due to strife with his FPOe coalition partner. In 2002, the OeVP emerged strengthened from the elections but it remains to be see if Kurz, like Schuessel before him, can avoid damage from the fallout.

Austrian president calls for September snap elections

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on Saturday called on Freedom Party (FPO) candidate Udo Landbauer to step down from elections in the province of Lower Austria after it emerged a group he was a member of had distributed song books with Nazi content.

The anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO), junior coalition government partner to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz&#39;s conservatives, was founded by former Nazis and has repeatedly excluded members in Nazi scandals. It says it has left its Nazi past behind.

&quot;It&#39;s not just a case of whitewashing ... but a ridicule of mass murder during the Holocaust, especially the ridicule of the gassing of millions of Jews in Auschwitz,&quot; Van der Bellen said on the TV programme Mittagsjournal on Austrian broadcaster Oe1.

&quot;I mean, where are we? To just accept that without any commentary, and saying the courts must decide over the matter, that&#39;s not my position.&quot;

Landbauer, the FPO&#39;s top candidate in Lower Austria, which holds a provincial election this weekend, was deputy leader of a fraternity which came under close attention this week when it emerged that it produced a songbook in 1997 that included references to killing Jews.

Landbauer suspended his membership of the fraternity after the scandal erupted and denied any knowledge of such songs.

He said the judiciary had to deal with the case, but added that the book in question had been produced when he was 11 years old, meaning he could not be held responsible for it.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation against&nbsp;unknown persons.

Peaceful protest

On Friday, thousands of Austrians marched peacefully in protest against an annual Viennese ball held by the Freedom Party, continuing a wave of demonstrations since its return to government last month.

The Academics&#39; Ball in the former imperial palace in central Vienna draws protests every year. But while previous years&#39; demonstrations have mainly comprised members of anti-fascist and left-wing groups, Friday&#39;s protest drew a larger and more varied crowd.

Police put the number of people taking part in the march at 8,000 while organisers said the turnout was 10,000.

Several FPO ministers had said they would not attend the ball, which included many members of far-right fraternities to which several senior party figures also belong.

However, the head of the FPO, Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, did attend, with his wife.

Some of those fraternities espouse ideas that echo Nazi ideology, such as the idea of a larger Germany including Austria.

Landbauer suspended his membership of the fraternity after the scandal erupted and denied any knowledge of such songs

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on Saturday called on Freedom Party (FPO) candidate Udo Landbauer to step down from elections in the province of Lower Austria after it emerged a group he was a member of had distributed song books with Nazi content. The anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPO), junior coalition government partner to Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's conservatives, was founded by former Nazis and has repeatedly excluded members in Nazi scandals. It says it has left its Nazi past behind. "It's not just a case of whitewashing ... but a ridicule of mass murder during the Holocaust, especially the ridicule of the gassing of millions of Jews in Auschwitz," Van der Bellen said on the TV programme Mittagsjournal on Austrian broadcaster Oe1. "I mean, where are we? To just accept that without any commentary, and saying the courts must decide over the matter, that's not my position." Landbauer, the FPO's top candidate in Lower Austria, which holds a provincial election this weekend, was deputy leader of a fraternity which came under close attention this week when it emerged that it produced a songbook in 1997 that included references to killing Jews. Landbauer suspended his membership of the fraternity after the scandal erupted and denied any knowledge of such songs. He said the judiciary had to deal with the case, but added that the book in question had been produced when he was 11 years old, meaning he could not be held responsible for it. Prosecutors have opened an investigation against unknown persons. Peaceful protest On Friday, thousands of Austrians marched peacefully in protest against an annual Viennese ball held by the Freedom Party, continuing a wave of demonstrations since its return to government last month. The Academics' Ball in the former imperial palace in central Vienna draws protests every year. But while previous years' demonstrations have mainly comprised members of anti-fascist and left-wing groups, Friday's protest drew a larger and more varied crowd. Police put the number of people taking part in the march at 8,000 while organisers said the turnout was 10,000. Several FPO ministers had said they would not attend the ball, which included many members of far-right fraternities to which several senior party figures also belong. However, the head of the FPO, Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, did attend, with his wife. Some of those fraternities espouse ideas that echo Nazi ideology, such as the idea of a larger Germany including Austria.

Austrian president calls for far-right candidate's resignation over Nazi-content in songbook

van-der-bellen

Van Der Bellen, News on Van Der Bellen, stories on Van Der Bellen, articles on Van Der Bellen, Van Der Bellen stories at Wion, Van Der Bellen news, Van Der Bellen latest news

van der-bellen

Austria presidential election: Van Der Bellen says 'Europe has won'

Austrian president calls for September snap elections

Austrian president calls for far-right candidate's resignation over Nazi-content in songbook