Story highlights Hofer could become first far-right head of state in Western Europe since World War IIThe election is a rerun after May's vote was annulled over ballot irregularities(CNN) Austrians began voting on Sunday in a presidential election re-run that puts far-right anti-immigration candidate Norbert Hofer up against the left-wing Alexander Van der Bellen. While the Austrian president's role is largely ceremonial, the vote is being closely watched around the world as a yardstick of wider anti-establishment sentiment. If Hofer wins, he would become the first far-right head of state in Western Europe since the end of World War II. But if Van der Bellen wins, his election would mark a significant change to Austria's political landscape, which has been dominated by two centrist parties since the end of the war.

Source: CNN December 04, 2016 09:08 UTC