Norbert Hofer of the Austrian Freedom Party won the first round of national elections with 35% of the vote, the largest percentage in the history of the right-wing party. None of the established parties earned many votes, with the Green Party and an Independent coming in second and third in the elections. The results signal massive voter dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in Austria, and the influx of refugees appears to be a dominant concern of many voters.
A Freedom Party Poster from 2014 on Banning the Burqa in Austria
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic appears to have won a sizable victory in that country’s national elections. Vucic is an economic conservative who strongly favors closer ties with the European Union. Unfortunately, it also appears as if Vojislav Seselj, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party, will have a seat in the Parliament and will likely be the leader of the opposition. Seselj was tried by the UN tribunal at the Hague for war crimes during Yugoslavia’s break-up in the 1990s and was acquitted of those crimes. He nonetheless represents a very nationalist side of the Serbian electorate.
Papa Wemba has died. He died while performing in a music festival in Ivory Coast. Papa Wemba first burst onto the music scene in the 1960s and his influence on music was truly global. His role in bringing African music to the world’s attention was singular and his death is a great loss to the world.
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