2nd LD Writethru: Center-left social democrats defends ruling position in Vienna election

The Center-left Austrian Social Democrats (SPO) maintained the first place in Vienna election, defending their governance in the city, according to the official election results on Sunday.

The SPO got nearly 40 percent of the vote, the first place in the election, however, around 5 percent less than the election in 2010, while the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) made the second place, obtaining around 31 percent of the vote, about 5 percent higher than 2010 election, also the highest after the war.

The SPO has governed the city since the founding of the new republic.

Center-right Austrian People's Party (OVP) only got 9.3 percent of the vote, the fourth place in the election, losing one-third of its votes.

The ongoing refugee crisis is seen as a main parameter of the elections in Austria. The right-wing FPO had a big victory in the country's regional election earlier, while European political leaders failed to find a solution to the crisis.

FPO, a seemingly hardliner over the refugee crisis, disagrees with the current refugee and migration policy.

After the election, Vienna mayor Michael Haupl from SPO said he would stick to the policy of helping the asylum seekers. Endit