Austrian Elections: Tight Race as Freedom Party's Lead Narrows

Recent opinion polls show the far-right Austrian Freedom Party's lead diminishing ahead of parliamentary elections. Extreme weather events forced the cancellation of campaign events. Chancellor Karl Nehammer's People's Party is closing the gap, now within the margin of error, while the Social Democrats remain in third place.

Recent opinion polls indicate a narrowing lead for the far-right Austrian Freedom Party over its competitors, just ten days before the parliamentary elections.

Extreme rain and severe flooding in parts of Lower Austria over the weekend resulted in the cancellation of campaign events. Despite this, conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer has stayed in the public eye by leading emergency response meetings and visiting flooded areas.

The latest surveys conducted after the flooding show Nehammer's People's Party closing in on the Freedom Party, with the opposition Social Democrats trailing in third place. The polls were based on a combination of online and in-person interviews for a more accurate representation.

(With inputs from agencies.)