BERLIN — The Austrian president called on Sunday for new elections in September, a day after the government collapsed over the emergence of a video that showed the country’s far-right vice chancellor promising favors to a woman who claimed to be a Russian investor. The revelations led thousands to take to the streets of Vienna on Saturday to demand new elections. And on Sunday, the president, Alexander Van der Bellen, said the country had “exact rules and procedures” to handle the crisis that ensued after Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that he could no longer work with the Freedom Party, led by Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. “Based on these constitutional rules, I will ensure stability, calm and continuity are of the highest priority,” Mr. Van der Bellen said in a statement after meeting with Mr. Kurz. Norbert Hofer was chosen to temporarily replaced Mr. Strache as head of the Freedom Party.

Source: New York Times May 19, 2019 13:18 UTC