Austrian Freedom Party Accepts Defeat in Presidential Election

As the vote counting in the Austrian presidential election continues and preliminary results indicate a lead for the Green-supported candidate, the Freedom Party has officially accepted its defeat. According to a report by AFP, preliminary results show that Alexander Van der Bellen, an independent candidate supported by the Greens, has secured nearly 54% of the votes. His rival, Norbert Hofer from the Freedom Party, holds anti-immigration views. AFP's report from Vienna notes that official results of the presidential election, which has taken months due to the previous year's cancellation, are not expected to be announced before Monday. However, the report indicates that the far-right Freedom Party has already accepted its defeat in this election. Herbert Kickl, the party's chief strategist, stated on Sunday evening that he would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Van der Bellen on his victory. Heinz-Christian Strache, the leader of the Freedom Party, also told Austrian television that the party accepts the election results and will not file any complaints, as they are confident that 'the citizens' votes in this election count.' Mr. Van der Bellen had previously defeated Norbert Hofer in June of this year. However, with a vote difference of about 31,000, Austria's Supreme Court annulled the election in July, just before the new presidential term began. At that time, the Freedom Party had turned to the Supreme Court in support of their candidate Norbert Hofer and managed to convince the court to hold a new election. Meanwhile, German news agency reported that Norbert Hofer stated he would not end his political career after this defeat and would run for the presidency again in six years. The presidential position in Austria is largely ceremonial, but a victory for the far-right Freedom Party, especially in the post-Brexit context, could have pleased anti-immigration and EU-separatist parties across various European countries. A potential victory for this far-right party could also influence next year's elections in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. In France, the main competition in next year's presidential election is expected to be between François Fillon, a center-right candidate, and Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate. On Sunday, Italians also participated in a crucial referendum, the outcome of which will either approve or reject major changes proposed by the Prime Minister to the country's constitution and parliamentary system. The British newspaper The Guardian reported that this referendum is seen as a test to determine the outcome of the political struggle between the current ruling body and the far-right opposition. The main opponents of the constitutional changes are the Five Star Movement, an anti-EU party, and Silvio Berlusconi, a former Prime Minister of Italy with center-right leanings, who warned that approving these changes 'could open the doors to dictatorship in Italy.'