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8. April 2017, 21:58

Austria elects moderate pro-EU president

Austria’s president-elect Alexander Van der Bellen has said his victory in yesterday’s election is a signal for hope and for positive change. Running as an Independent candidate van der Bellen scored a decisive victory over the Freedom party’s Norbert Hofer, with a projected lead of over 53% to just over 46% once postal ballots are counted. With turnout of around 74%, van der Bellen, a former Greens party leader, extended his lead over Hofer, compared to May’s first run of the election that was struck down by the constitutional court on the grounds of irregularities. Political analyst Thomas Hofer says van der Bellen showed an impressive ability to mobilise new voters: “He managed to get more than 150,000 new voters that didn’t vote in May. Getting so many new voters in was a big effort.”

Van der Bellen victory hailed across EU

Van der Bellen’s victory has been welcomed by leading politicians across the European Union. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said it was "a good sign against populism in Europe." European Council President Donald Tusk, congratulating van der Bellen, hailed Austria’s continued constructive contribution as essential to maintaining European unity. Austria’s new president will be sworn in on January 26th . Van der bellen has said he will seek to unify the country after the long and unusually divisive campaign.

Italy PM Renzi to resign

Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has said he will submit his resignation to president, Sergio Mattarella today, after voters in a referendum overwhelmingly rejected his plans for constitutional reform. Around 60% of Italians voted against the proposed reforms. The result is seen as a significant victory for the populist Five Star Movement, and the far right Northern League. There are concerns increased political uncertainty from the outcome could impact Italy’s financial stability.

Syrian army extends Aleppo advance

Syrian government forces and allied militia have captured two more rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo. The Syrian army now controls around 70% of the city.

Abe to visit Pearl Harbour

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to visit Hawaii later this month for a summit with United States President Barack Obama, and to remember victims of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941, the first Japanese leader to do so. Obama earlier this year made an historic visit to the memorial marking the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.

The weather

Mainly sunny, some fog in low lying areas, top temperatures minus 3 to plus 7 degrees.

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