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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Far-right gains in Austria vote | Far-right gains in Austria vote |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Austria's Social Democrats won the most votes in the country's early election but far-right parties made significant gains, the interior ministry has said. | Austria's Social Democrats won the most votes in the country's early election but far-right parties made significant gains, the interior ministry has said. |
| Preliminary official results from Sunday's poll show Social Democrats with 29.7% of the vote. | Preliminary official results from Sunday's poll show Social Democrats with 29.7% of the vote. |
| But the country's two far-right parties made large gains, winning a total vote share of 29% between them. | But the country's two far-right parties made large gains, winning a total vote share of 29% between them. |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna said that rise in support is the result of protest votes on a variety of issues. | The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna said that rise in support is the result of protest votes on a variety of issues. |
| Our correspondent said the resurgent far right can be attributed to a mixture of anti-European Union sentiment, some anti-immigrant positions and a general sense of discontent with the two traditional centrist parties. | Our correspondent said the resurgent far right can be attributed to a mixture of anti-European Union sentiment, some anti-immigrant positions and a general sense of discontent with the two traditional centrist parties. |
| The conservative People's Party, which had been in a faltering coalition with the Social Democrats that collapsed after 18 months, won 25.6%. | The conservative People's Party, which had been in a faltering coalition with the Social Democrats that collapsed after 18 months, won 25.6%. |
| Young voters | Young voters |
| Interior Minister Maria Fekter said the far-right Freedom Party had won 18.01% of the vote and the Alliance for the Future of Austria had 10.98%. | Interior Minister Maria Fekter said the far-right Freedom Party had won 18.01% of the vote and the Alliance for the Future of Austria had 10.98%. |
| AUSTRIA FACTS Population: 8.3mElectorate: 6.3mOver 16-year-old voters: 200,000National Council seats: 183 Rebounding Austrian rightCountry profile: Austria | AUSTRIA FACTS Population: 8.3mElectorate: 6.3mOver 16-year-old voters: 200,000National Council seats: 183 Rebounding Austrian rightCountry profile: Austria |
| Our correspondent described the far-right gains as a "slap in the face" to the centrist parties, which suffered their worst results since World War II. | |
| Final results will not be released until 6 October after absentee and postal ballots, making up about 10% of the votes, are counted. | Final results will not be released until 6 October after absentee and postal ballots, making up about 10% of the votes, are counted. |
| For the first time in an EU country, 16 and 17-year-olds were able to vote. This bloc represented about 200,000 of the 6.3 million-strong electorate. | For the first time in an EU country, 16 and 17-year-olds were able to vote. This bloc represented about 200,000 of the 6.3 million-strong electorate. |
| Elections were last held in October 2006. It took a further six months for the government to form a cabinet. | Elections were last held in October 2006. It took a further six months for the government to form a cabinet. |
| The far-right showing was its strongest since 2000, when the Freedom Party won 28% and gained a place in the coalition government with the conservatives. | The far-right showing was its strongest since 2000, when the Freedom Party won 28% and gained a place in the coalition government with the conservatives. |
| That development sparked outrage across Europe and for several months Austria was placed under EU sanctions. | That development sparked outrage across Europe and for several months Austria was placed under EU sanctions. |
| Analysts say the far right could now re-enter government but only after all other options are exhausted. | Analysts say the far right could now re-enter government but only after all other options are exhausted. |
| These include another grand coalition - an option most Austrians oppose - or pacts with the Greens or the two other smaller parties. | These include another grand coalition - an option most Austrians oppose - or pacts with the Greens or the two other smaller parties. |