New Democracy salutes Europe’s youngest leader

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of Greece’s main opposition party New Democracy, welcomed the results of Austria’s recent elections which saw the Sebastian Kurz’s People’s Party sweep into power.

Mitsotakis congratulated Sebastian Kurz for his win and his commitment to safeguard European values.

“I am certain that under your leadership, Austria will safeguard the European values that unite us and that you will be at the forefront in shaping European future for the benefit of our citizens,” he said in a letter.

Mitsotakis also wished him luck in forming a government and implementing the important reforms he pledged during the election campaign. He also said he looked forward to cooperating as members of the European People’s Party.

The People’s Party was voted comfortably in first place, with 31.4% of the vote whilst the right-wing Freedom Party came in second with 27.4%. The centre-left Social Democratic Party of Austria, which now governs in coalition with People’s Party, got 26.7%.

Part of the reason for the People’s Party win over the Freedom Party was Kurz’s early acknowledgement of voter anxiety over Islamism and the refugee crisis and so he called for tougher external border controls and better ways to fight and control of “political Islam”.