1st LD Writethru: Re-run of Austrian presidential election to be held on Oct. 2

The Austrian government set October 2 as the date for the re-run of presidential election run-off, the federal government announced on Tuesday.

The decision was made after Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka submitted his proposal to the government, setting the presidential election run-off on Oct. 2.

The Austrian Constitutional Court (VfGH) ruled last Friday in favor of a challenge to the result of the May 22 presidential election run-off round, concluding that a repeat election will need to be held.

Right wing Norbert Hofer of Free Party (FPO) lost the May 22 vote to former Greens leader Alexander Van der Bellen by less than one percentage votes. The neck to neck race was proven to be the closest Austrian presidential election in history, which reveals also a split nation.

After the election, FPO tried to challenge voting result, saying there were irregularities in the voting.

VfGH president Gerhart Holzinger said at the presentation of the findings in Vienna that the vote will be re-held nationwide, not simply in some electoral districts as media had speculated may happen.

The decision largely came down to a lax handling of postal votes, he stated.

Holzinger said irregularities that occurred in the counting of the postal votes in 14 electoral districts, such as their opening without the required presence of electoral authorities. Endit