- Title: Austria: Polls open snap parliamentary election
- Date: 29th September 2019
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (German) VIENNA RESIDENT, CHRISTINE NESTLER, SAYING: "I don't want a slide to the right that's for sure. Social topics should be in focus and we saw at the protests what the youth wants and this needs to be supported." (SOUNDBITE) (German) VIENNA RESIDENT, JOHANN ROESSLER, SAYING: "A stable government that lasts for 5 years at least, that would be great, but I don't think it will happen." (SOUNDBITE) (German) VIENNA RESIDENT, ERWIN WENDLING, SAYING: "I am hoping for a stable government. The most stable one would be a big coalition. But this is not fitting anymore for Austria as these two parties are not big parties anymore. A coalition also of OVP (People's Party) with the Greens and the Neos would be a possibility. It would be difficult as these parties are very different from each other, but at least it would be stable." (SOUNDBITE) (German) VIENNA RESIDENT, HEDWIG REINER, SAYING: "Red-Black (Social Democrats and People's Party coalition) for sure not. I can't imagine that. We had that before and it was a big theatre. And with the Blue ones (Freedom Party) I don't know, that is also not ideal. It's important Strache will not be involved. I never liked him, as he is too arrogant." WOMAN ENTERING POLLING STATION WOMAN INSIDE POLLING STATION WOMEN WALKING OUT OF POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 13th October 2019 07:30
- Keywords: Austria elections polls open ballot box snap election Sebastian Kurz
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- City: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003AYPM53B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Austrians vote on Sunday (September 29) 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 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.
While they might be able to give Kurz and his party a narrow majority in parliament, he is unlikely to want to be at the mercy of a small number of its left-wing lawmakers, meaning that if he chooses to ally with the Greens he will probably seek a three-way tie-up including the pro-business Neos.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Suzana Sabljic) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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