Early Parliamentary Elections are Held in Austria

Early parliamentary elections are taking place in Austria. Will former Prime Minister Sebastian Kurtz return to power and what are the possible scenarios after that?

Just over 6 million Austrian citizens elect 183 MPs. Stability - this is what the first who stood in front of the urns wished.

What do the numbers show? An undisputed favourite is the right-wing Austrian People's Party of former Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz. It is followed by the Social Democrats, whose leader is for the first time a woman, Pamela Rendi-Wagner. And third is Norbert Hofer's far-right Freedom Party. The barrier to entry is 4% and at least two more political formations are expected to pass it. It is clear that no party will have a majority, and the next Austrian government will be a coalition.

Today's vote came after the breakup of the ruling tandem between the Austrian People's Party and the far-right because of a scandalous record featuring a Vice-Chancellor of the Freedom Party - Heinz-Christian Strahe.

There are several scenarios in Austria, but the most anticipated are a re-coalition between the Kurz formation and the Austrian Freedom Party, or a return to the model - centrist social democrats.

The formation of a minority government is not excluded.