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| Austria votes in general election | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Voters in Austria are going to the polls to elect a new parliament. | |
| Opinion polls suggest the centre-right coalition led by Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has a small lead over the opposition Social Democrats. | Opinion polls suggest the centre-right coalition led by Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has a small lead over the opposition Social Democrats. |
| They also indicate that Joerg Haider's far-right alliance will be struggling to win the 4% of the vote needed to secure parliamentary seats. | They also indicate that Joerg Haider's far-right alliance will be struggling to win the 4% of the vote needed to secure parliamentary seats. |
| Analysts say the chancellor's controversial coalition with Mr Haider is almost certain to come to an end. | Analysts say the chancellor's controversial coalition with Mr Haider is almost certain to come to an end. |
| More than six million Austrian voters are eligible to vote for the 183-seat parliament. | More than six million Austrian voters are eligible to vote for the 183-seat parliament. |
| Polls indicate Mr Schuessel's People's Party has the support of 38% of voters - just ahead of the opposition. | Polls indicate Mr Schuessel's People's Party has the support of 38% of voters - just ahead of the opposition. |
| Tight race | Tight race |
| The far-right Freedom Party - a rival to Mr Haider's Alliance for the Future of Austria that has run an anti-immigrant campaign - is running neck-and-neck with Greens for third place, with about 10%. | The far-right Freedom Party - a rival to Mr Haider's Alliance for the Future of Austria that has run an anti-immigrant campaign - is running neck-and-neck with Greens for third place, with about 10%. |
| Alfred Gusenbauer leads the charge for the opposition | Alfred Gusenbauer leads the charge for the opposition |
| Two other parties - Martin's list and the Communists - are also struggling to score 4%. | Two other parties - Martin's list and the Communists - are also struggling to score 4%. |
| The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna says the rare is so close that the shape of a future governing coalition is hard to predict. | The BBC's Bethany Bell in Vienna says the rare is so close that the shape of a future governing coalition is hard to predict. |
| Mr Schuessel took office in 2000 in a controversial alliance with the far-right Freedom Party, then led by Mr Haider. He won re-election in 2002. | Mr Schuessel took office in 2000 in a controversial alliance with the far-right Freedom Party, then led by Mr Haider. He won re-election in 2002. |
| The Social Democrats, led by Alfred Gusenbauer, accuse the chancellor of fostering social divisions. | The Social Democrats, led by Alfred Gusenbauer, accuse the chancellor of fostering social divisions. |
| Chancellor Schuessel is thought to favour an alliance with the Greens if his party wins. | Chancellor Schuessel is thought to favour an alliance with the Greens if his party wins. |
| But our correspondent says many Austrians prefer the idea of a grand coalition between the People's Party and the Social Democrats. | But our correspondent says many Austrians prefer the idea of a grand coalition between the People's Party and the Social Democrats. |