- Title: Social Democrats leader Rendi-Wagner casts her ballot in Austria snap election
- Date: 29th September 2019
- Summary: VIENNA, AUSTRIA (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER PAMELA RENDI-WAGNER AND HER HUSBAND MICHAEL RENDI ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION MEDIA WAITING RENDI-WAGNER WALKING OUT OF POLLING STATION AND TOWARDS REPORTERS CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (German) SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER PAMELA RENDI-WAGNER, SAYING: "As any election day also today is important, especially because it is up to the Austrians to prevent a continuation of a 'black-blue' (coalition) in Austria. I hope that as many Austrians as possible go to the polls today and that the turnout will be high." CAMERA RENDI-WAGNER LEAVING
- Embargoed: 13th October 2019 08:57
- Keywords: Austria snap elections Social Democrats Pamela Rendi-Wagner voting polling station ballots
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- City: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYPLNPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Social Democrats leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner arrived at the polling station in Vienna on Sunday (September 29) to cast her ballot in a snap parliamentary election that conservative leader Sebastian Kurz looks set to win, but he will still need a coalition partner to secure a majority and it remains unclear whom he will pick.
Polling stations in Austria opened at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and the first projections are due shortly after voting ends at 5 p.m.
The election follows the collapse in May of Kurz's coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) after a video sting scandal that forced FPO Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache to step down.
Kurz, 33, has emerged largely unscathed from the scandal, even gaining voters from the FPO as its support has slipped to roughly a fifth of the electorate from just over a quarter in the last vote in 2017. On the left, there has been some shift in support from the Social Democrats to the resurgent Greens.
Kurz has said he will talk to all parties after the election if he wins. His two most likely options are either to ally with the FPO again or with the Greens and liberal Neos. A centrist coalition with the Social Democrats is possible but unlikely under their current leadership.
Rendi-Wagner told reporters at the polling station after casting her ballot that it was up to the Austrians now to prevent a continuation of Kurz's coalition with the FPO.
(Production: Oliver Ellrodt, Ulrike Heil) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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