VIENNA (AP) – Austria holds presidential elections on Sunday in a contest pitting a left-leaning contender against a right-winger supported by a populist anti-immigration party. Beyond the contest for the largely ceremonial office, the vote is being watched in other EU countries as a barometer of how well their populist candidates will do in upcoming elections. A look at the candidates and the issues:
___
WHO’S RUNNING?
Norbert Hofer and Alexander Van der Bellen, two candidates with strongly different views.
Since announcing his candidacy last year, Hofer has emerged as a major figure of his right-wing populist Freedom Party. The 45-year old engineer rose through party ranks and launched his bid for the presidency from his post as one of three parliamentary presidents. A smooth talker with a ready smile, Hofer changes the style, tone and contents of his message at will – from moderate, when addressing undecided voters to polemical with Freedom Party supporters that play to their euroskeptic and anti-migrant sentiments.