UPDATE - Center-right wins, but far-right surges in Austria vote

REVISES/ UPDATES WITH LATEST PROJECTIONS, REMARKS BY CONSERVATIVE LEADER KURZ

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - The conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) has won Sunday’s parliamentary election, but fell short of an absolute majority in parliament, paving the way for a right-wing coalition government in the country.

Led by 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz, the center-right OVP won a clear victory over their rival Social Democrats, capturing 31.6 percent of the vote, up from 24 percent four years ago.

Chancellor Christian Kern’s Social Democratic Party (SPO) managed to secure second place after a neck-and-neck race with the far-right Freedom Party, or FPO.

Public broadcaster ORF’s projections showed the SPO at 26.9 percent, while the FPO was projected to get 26 percent.

Kurz said on Sunday night that he was open to talks with all parties that entered parliament on forming a coalition government.

He did not rule out a coalition with the far-right FPO, which used anti-immigrant and especially anti-Muslim rhetoric during the election campaign.

An ORF opinion poll said 40 percent of OVP voters favor a coalition government with the FPO, while only 18 percent support a coalition with the Social Democrats.

Kurz and his Austrian People's Party also took a harsher tone on issues related to migration and Islam during the campaign, sparking criticisms that the OVP was drifting into right-wing populism in the hope of attracting far-right voters.

The offical results of Austria’s elections are expected to be announced on Thursday after mail-in votes are counted.