Austria set to be run by right-wing Sebastian Kurz

Austrians are voting in an election which could see the country run by the world’s youngest leader.

Conservative Sebastian Kurz, 31, is set to take power and form an alliance with the far-right.

He wants to cut benefits for all foreigners, slash Austria’s red tape and keep the EU out of national affairs.

It would be a fresh headache for Brussels as it struggles with Brexit and the rise of nationalism in Germany, Hungary, Poland and elsewhere.

But all signs indicate that Austrians want to swap the gridlocked centrist rule for a more hardline government for the first time in a decade following an influx of asylum seekers.

Conservative Sebastian Kurz, 31, is set to take power and form an alliance with the far-right. He is pictured today with his girlfriend Susanne Thier

Kurz has yanked his party to the right and is expected to seek a coalition with the far-right

The People’s Party, rebranded by ‘whizz-kid’ Kurz as a ‘movement’, is forecast to reap more than 30 percent of the vote with pledges to go tough on migrants and easy on taxes.  

The eurosceptic Freedom Party is battling for second place with the beleaguered Social Democrats of incumbent Chancellor Christian Kern.

Kurz – who as new People’s Party leader forced the snap vote in May by ending the coalition with Kern – has yanked his party to the right and is expected to seek a coalition with the far-right.

Founded by ex-Nazis in the 1950s, the Freedom Party almost won the presidency last year and topped opinion polls in the midst of Europe’s migrant crisis. 

The People’s Party is forecast to reap more than 30 percent of the vote with pledges to go tough on migrants and easy on taxes. Pictured is its leader Sebastian Kurz with his girlfriend Susanne Thier

An Austrian electoral official carries a portable ballot box. Polls close at 4pm today

Then Kurz came along and stole votes with his hardline makeover, prompting Freedom Party chief Heinz-Christian Strache to call him an ‘imposter’. 

But Austrian media reported Sunday that both parties were already involved in behind-the-scene talks, with the People’s Party putting a ‘generous offer’ on the table.

Meanwhile, the once-mighty Social Democrats could be flushed into opposition after their promising campaign suffered blunders and scandals.

Open dislike between ex-railway chief Kern, 51, and Kurz also makes any new attempt at ruling together seem unlikely.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern, pictured with his wife Eveline today, issued a final warning Saturday against a right-wing alliance, saying ‘Austria was at the most important crossroads in decades’

Experts say a right-wing government could turn Austria into a tricky partner for the EU

Kern, in office since last May, issued a final warning Saturday against a right-wing alliance, saying ‘Austria was at the most important crossroads in decades’.

Polls opened at 4am and will close at 3pm, with first estimates expected shortly afterwards.

Some 6.4 million people are eligible to vote in the closely-watched ballot which is expected to be a tight race.

As foreign minister, Kurz claims credit for closing the Balkan migrant trail in 2016, earning him praise at home. 

Experts say a right-wing government could turn Austria into a tricky partner for the EU.

Vienna will hold the bloc’s presidency in the second half of 2018 just when Brussels wants to conclude Brexit talks.

‘The Freedom Party as a government partner will not make a good impression in Europe (and) Kurz is aware of that,’ commented Der Standard newspaper in its weekend edition.

‘But the question is whether there is any getting around Strache after this election.’

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