Eat your heart out, Kim Jong-un. As of today, the tubby North Korean tyrant is no longer the most youthful leader on the planet. Sebastian Kurz, fresh-faced champion of the Austrian People’s Party, has won 31 per cent of votes in yesterday’s national election, making him the leader of Austria’s largest party, and the country’s next chancellor. So how did this wunderkind become the youngest national leader in Europe – and the world?
On the face of it, for the Austrian People’s Party to win an election is no surprise. The People’s Party have ruled Austria for all but 16 years since the war, almost always in some sort of coalition – and with a share of votes (and seats) well short of an absolute majority, it looks like they’ll have to form another coalition this time. What’s different is the way that Kurz has changed his party, shifting it resolutely further right.
The People’s Party has always been ostensibly centre-right, but since 2007 it’s governed Austria in a coalition with the Social Democrats.
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