Vienna - Austria's far-right Freedom Party slumped heavily in elections in Vienna yesterday, losing more than a quarter of its vote in its latest ballot upset, according to complete results. With all votes counted except postal ballots, the party of controversial politician Mr Jorg Haider won 20.25 per cent of the vote, down from 27.9 per cent in Vienna's last elections in 1996.
The Social Democrats and Greens hailed the result as a slap in the face for Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel's coalition with Mr Haider's anti-immigrant grouping, but the ruling parties said their alliance would not be affected.