Austrian president suggests September best time for new vote

Austria’s president has said that the first few days of September would be the best time to hold an early election after a covert video scandal shook up the country’s politics.

President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke on Sunday after meeting with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

Mr Kurz called for a new election following the resignation of his vice chancellor, Heinz-Christian Strache, on Saturday.

This came after Mr Strache apologised for his actions in a video where he apparently offered government contracts to a purported Russian investor at an alcohol-fuelled gathering in Ibiza.

Mr Kurz decided not to continue the governing coalition between his centre-right People’s Party and Mr Strache’s anti-migrant Freedom Party.

The video was published by two German media outlets.

President Van der Bellen said: “Everything must be done to restore trust in officeholders, in the representatives of the people.”