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Austria to go to polls in September after corruption scandal

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen says fresh elections will take place in early September, after a secretly filmed corruption sting brought down the country's right-wing coalition. "My preference is for early elections in September, if possible the beginning of September," Van der Bellen told journalists after holding talks with Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

Agencies and A News WORLD
Published May 19,2019
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Austria's President Alexander van der Bellen said on Sunday he recommends new parliamentary elections to be held early September.

It was most important that Austrians were given the chance for a new start to rebuild trust in its government, van der Bellen said in a statement at his Hofburg residence in Vienna.



"This new beginning should take place quickly, as quickly as the provisions of the Federal Constitution permit, so I plead for elections... in September, if possible at the beginning of September," the president said.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz pulled the plug on his coalition and called for a snap election after his deputy, the leader of the far-right Freedom Party, quit over a video showing him discussing fixing state contracts in return for favours.