Postal votes will decide the presidential elections in Austria. After the scrutiny of all the polling stations, the green Alexander Van der Bellen is ahead with 51,93% over the ultranationalist candidate Norbert Hofer, who reaches 48,07%. But the exit poll of 800 postal votes, which will only be counted today, puts green at the head of the final calculation of about 3 votes. Turnout was high: 70% of the 6,4 million eligible voters went to the polls.
Hofer, of the Freedom Party (Fpo) obtained 35% of the votes in the first round, against 21 of his opponent. Even though polls weren't allowed on the eve of the runoff vote, the betting houses gave Hofer the lead. The FPO candidate has based his electoral campaign almost exclusively on the fight against immigration and just yesterday Vienna announced that from next Tuesday it intends to deploy 80 policemen on the Italian-Austrian border at the Brenner Pass.
