At last a bit of good news from Vienna … of all places in Europe!
○ Far-right concedes in Austrian election – Live!
Far-right candidate concedes defeat in Austrian presidential election | The Guardian |
In a Facebook post published shortly after the first exit poll, Norbert Hofer of the anti-immigration Freedom party said: “I congratulate Alexander Van der Bellen for his success and ask all Austrians to pull together and work together.”
The 45-year-old said he was “endlessly sad” and “would have liked to look after Austria”.
According to the public broadcaster ORF, Van der Bellen had gained 53.3% of the vote with 69% of voting districts counted – too strong a lead to be turned around by Hofer, who had 46.7% of the vote.
○ Energized by Donald Trump’s election, Austria’s far-right party hopes for win | CBS News |
Protesters holding posters that read "No Nazi inside Hofburg palace" demonstrate
against Austrian presidential candidate Norbert Hofer in Vienna, Austria, Dec. 3, 2016. (Reuters)Hofer also narrowly lost the first runoff vote in May, which was later annulled. In that election, 50.35% of the population voted for Van der Bellen and 49.65% for Hofer.
Austria’s constitutional court annulled the May result in July after an investigation revealed irregularities in the count of the vote in several constituencies.
While the court emphasised that there was no evidence of the outcome of the election having been actively manipulated, the confirmed irregularities had affected a total of 77,926 votes that could have gone to either Hofer or Van der Bellen – enough, in theory, to change the outcome of the election.
So, Austrians were given a choice between a Sanders and a Trump (albeit a much younger and more attractive version) and Sanders won. A clear choice not muddied by a mushy centrist candidate with strong institutional support. A sliver of sunshine in these otherwise bleak days.
Thats great news even if the Greens continue the tradition of keeping it a ceremonial position (which the Freedom party would not have). It is especially nice that it is a 6 point win instead of the tie in the original election.
It would be interesting to see the actual numbers to see if more people voted this time, or if people just turned against Hofer – I dont see the numbers yet. If the former, maybe its a sign of something good that comes out of Trump’s win that can be replicated elsewhere in Europe?
Still counting. Hofer’s concession suggests that he wasn’t pulling high enough numbers in regions where he was favored and/or Van der Bellen was running much stronger in regions that had favored him in May.
Preliminary results by states have been entered in the Wikipedia page. Gains for Van der Bellen and losses for Hofer in all states from the May election that was annulled. Whether those were real gains for Van der Bellen or it reflects those (appox 3%) that don’t like sore losers can’t be known. (A factor WI Democrats should have considered in mounting the recall of Walker.)
But this sure looks tempting:
Still, can’t beat something with nothing.
I’ll take victory anywhere I can get it, but doesn’t bode well:
“While public servants voted #VdB by 66%, workers preferred #Hofer by 85%. The Left’s traditional base is firmly with the far right.”
~Valentin Schwarz
Italianbanks and financials will get a hit in the morning … Asia stocks drop as Euro hits 20 month low!
○ Watch Out: Populists in the Piazza
○ Italy PM Renzi announces resignation after crushing referendum defeat | France24 |
○ Europe holds its breath as Italy votes in critical referendum | Deutsche Welle |
I would very much like to see a diary on this and its implications.
This was a neoliberal wet dream that was voted down, imo.
http://www.ianwelsh.net/italys-constitutional-referendum-fails-europe-shudders/
“The changes were meant to make pushing thru austerity and bank rescue measures simpler*.
Jeremy Corbyn recently noted that the right is taking real grievances and offering solutions which will, at best, only paper over wounds. The left has superior solutions, but has bound itself to a dying world order because of love for internationalism.”