30 Sep 2013

Coalition in Austria set to continue

11:50 am on 30 September 2013

Early election results in Austria suggest the governing two-party coalition gained enough votes on Sunday for another term of five years.

Early results give Social Democrat Chancellor Werner Faymann's alliance with the People's Party a slim combined absolute majority of 50.9%, down from 55.3% in 2008. Postal and absentee ballots have still to be counted.

The Social Democrats are on 27.1% and the People's Party 23.8%, just enough for a parliamentary majority if they choose to renew their alliance.

Both parties have dominated Austrian politics since World War II, and look likely to continue to govern until at least 2018.

Voters were choosing 183 deputies for the lower house of parliament. The BBC reports turnout was below 66%, well down on the last election in 2008. The Freedom Party rose to 21.4%.

Mr Faymann appears set to remain at the head of the coalition as chancellor.