- Title: President-elect downplays polarisation of Austrian society
- Date: 24th May 2016
- Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (MAY 24, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** HOFBURG PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AUSTRIAN AND EU FLAGS ON HOFBURG ROOF WINDOWS OF PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AUSTRIA'S PRESIDENT HEINZ FISCHER AND PRESIDENT-ELECT ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN SHAKING HANDS CLOSE VIEW OF HANDSHAKE FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLEN SWITCHING PLACE AND SHAKING HANDS AGAIN AUSTRIAN FLAG FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLEN WALKING INTO MEETING ROOM FISCHER SEATED FOR MEETING PAN FROM MEDIA ONTO FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLEN PHOTOGRAPHER FILING PICTURE IN LAPTOP FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLEN ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (German) AUSTRIA'S PRESIDENT ELECT ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN, SAYING: "I appeal to all media representatives not to dramatise this story of polarisation in Austria. I find there is not much to dramatise on. We are a country of high diversity - that is something good. This is a colourful land, we are also politically colourful and we don't want to, how should I say, a moulded Austrian. We are as we are and all together we make up this beautiful Austria." FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLLEN STANDING AT SPEAKER PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) German) AUSTRIA'S PRESIDENT HEINZ FISCHER, SAYING: "I am glad that it is as it is, that today we agreed the first talks, the first working talks. There is in fact a lot to be discussed. We are both interested in a smooth handover from Heinz Fischer, if I may speak of myself in third person, to Alexander van der Bellen, recognising that we mutually appreciate values and interests of the country." CAMERA MEDIA FISCHER AND VAN DER BELLEN WALKING AWAY, PAN ONTO CHANDELIER
- Embargoed: 8th June 2016 15:06
- Keywords: van der Bellen Fischer presidential election Austria
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- City: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0014J646KN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Austria's President-elect Alexander van der Bellen on Tuesday (May 24) appealed to the media to stop dramatising the extremely close presidential race he won against his far-right rival Norbert Hofer, highlighting the country's diversity as a positive.
"I appeal to all media representatives not to dramatise this story of polarisation in Austria. I find there is not much to dramatise on. We are a country of high diversity - that is something good. This is a colorful land, we are also politically colorful and we don't want to, how should I say, a molded Austrian. We are as we are and all together we make up this beautiful Austria," Van der Bellen said after meeting outgoing President Heinz Fischer.
The election run-off on Sunday, which followed a first round dominated by Hofer on April 24, went to the independent leftist and former Greens leader Van der Bellen with 50.3 to 49.7 percent, or by 31,000 out of nearly 4.5 million valid votes cast.
The outcome of the first round raised the prospect of Austria becoming the first European Union country with a far-right president in Hofer, an anti-immigration euroskeptic put forward by the Freedom Party (FPO).
Riding on the same surge of widespread dissatisfaction with the two centrist parties that have dominated politics in Austria for decades, often by governing in coalition as presently, the FPO presently leads the popularity survey and could win parliamentary elections held now. The current government's term runs out in 2018.
President Fischer welcomed the outcome of the election.
"I am glad that it is as it is, that today we agreed the first talks, the first working talks. There is in fact a lot to be discussed. We are both interested in a smooth handover from Heinz Fischer, if I may speak of myself in third person, to Alexander van der Bellen, recognising that we mutually appreciate values and interests of the country," Fischer said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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