Austria’s far-right party is formally challenging the result of the presidential election that was narrowly lost by its candidate, legal officials say.
The Freedom Party is claiming numerous irregularities in the May 22 election, particularly for the absentee vote count, says Constitutional Court spokesman Christian Neuwirth.
Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hoffer led after polls closed. But final results after a count of absentee ballots put former Green party politician Alexander Van der Bellen ahead with only a little more than 30,000 votes.
The final count showed Van der Bellen with 50.3 percent, compared to 49.7% for Hofer.
The court challenge could result in at least a partial recount if the court rules in favor of the party, which had suggested it might contest the results shortly after they were announced.
The elections are viewed Europe-wide as a proxy fight pitting the continent’s political center against its growing populist and Euroskeptic movements.
— AP
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