Independent Presidential Candidate Makes It to Run-Off in Austria's First Election Round

An independent candidate in Austria’s upcoming presidential election, Alexander Van der Bellen, made it through to the May 22 second round run-off on April 24 after polling at around 20 percent.

Van der Bellen’s result followed the far-right Freedom Party candidate, Norbert Hofer, winning the first round with 36 percent of the vote.Hofer and Van der Bellen’s victories mark the first time since 1945 that the country’s main centre-left or centre-right parties, namely the Social Democrats and People’s Party, has not made the second round run-off.

Credit: Facebook/Alexander Van der Bellen