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Austria poised for early elections in October: report

Xinhua, May 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

The Austrian National Council is poised for early elections in October following agreement from all four opposition parties on Monday.

Leaders from the Freedom Party, Greens, NEOS, and Team Stronach convened in Vienna where they reached agreement on making a joint motion for the next election to be held early.

Local media reported that the two proposed dates are October 8 and 15. The election could otherwise have been held as late as next year.

The motion is presently being drafted by the parties, and it is expected it will be put to parliament on Wednesday.

The anticipated outcome had been sparked last week by the resignation of vice-chancellor and leader of the People's Party Reinhold Mitterlehner. His likely replacement, foreign minister Sebastian Kurz, had demanded an early election as one condition for taking over.

Kurz on Monday also gave his approval to the proposition from the opposition parties, that the election be held on one of the two dates specified.

Chancellor Christian Kern meanwhile had initially been reluctant for the lower house election to be held this year, citing an intent to tackle issues facing the government instead. Endite