Austria’s president hopes for reelection without runoff

By PHILIPP JENNE and GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — Austria’s liberal president is hoping to be reelected without the need for a runoff vote after a campaign in which he has cast himself as the stable option in uncertain times. President Alexander Van der Bellen, 78, is seeking a second term on Sunday after a first six years in which a succession of domestic political crises has given the head of state unusually high visibility in an often-ceremonial role. Nearly 6.4 million people in the Alpine country are eligible to vote in Sunday’s election. Polls have shown a big lead for Van der Bellen, who has the implicit or explicit backing of Austria’s mainstream parties.