Categories: World

Austria to Get World’s Youngest President at 31

Kurz pictured with his girlfriend, Susanne Thier, today.

Rotimi Morgan/
31-year-old Austrian politician is set to become the world’s youngest leader.
Conservative Sebastian Kurz, 31, will form an alliance with the far-right and had pledged to cut all benefits for foreigners.
He also plans to limit the European Union interference in Austria’s affairs.
His ascension will pose a fresh problem for the EU as it struggles with Brexit and the rise of nationalism in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.
But all signs indicate that Austrians want to swap the gridlocked centrist rule for a more hardline government for the first time in a decade following an influx of asylum seekers.
Kurz was pictured on Sunday voting in the Austrian capital Vienna alongside his girlfriend Susanne Thier – a finance ministry worker who he met at the age of 18.
The eurosceptic Freedom Party is battling for second place with the beleaguered Social Democrats of incumbent Chancellor Christian Kern.
Kurz – who as new People’s Party leader forced the snap vote in May by ending the coalition with Kern – has yanked his party to the right and is expected to seek a coalition with the far-right.
Founded by ex-Nazis in the 1950s, the Freedom Party almost won the presidency last year and topped opinion polls in the midst of Europe’s migrant crisis.
Then Kurz came along and stole votes with his hardline makeover, prompting Freedom Party chief Heinz-Christian Strache to call him an “imposter”.
But Austrian media reported Sunday that both parties were already involved in behind-the-scene talks, with the People’s Party putting a “generous offer” on the table.
Meanwhile, the once-mighty Social Democrats could be flushed into opposition after their promising campaign suffered blunders and scandals.
Open dislike between ex-railway chief Kern, 51, and Kurz also makes any new attempt at ruling together seem unlikely.
Kern, in office since last May, issued a final warning Saturday against a right-wing alliance, saying “Austria was at the most important crossroads in decades”.
Polls opened at 4am and will close at 3pm, with first estimates expected shortly afterwards.
Some 6.4 million people are eligible to vote in the closely-watched ballot which is expected to be a tight race.
As foreign minister, Kurz claims credit for closing the Balkan migrant trail in 2016, earning him praise at home.