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(Vatican Radio) Europe could move further to the right when Austrians go to the polls on Sunday to choose a new president in an election that has been overshadowed by concerns over Europe's migration crisis and sanctions against Russia. 

Far-right candidate Nobert Hofer, of the Freedom Party, will face Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leader of the leftist Greens Party. Hofer has already made clear he wants to end sanctions and a tougher policy towards migrants fleeing war and poverty.  

Sunday's elections are therefore seen as a test for the political direction of Austria and other European Union member states. Polls show the rightwing populist Hofer and Green-backed Van der Bellen neck and neck for the vote.

A victory for the 45-year old Freedom party candidate, Hofer, would make him the first far-right head of state in the EU since the second world war. Van der Bellen narrowly won the original vote in May, but it was annulled because of irregularities in the counting process.

Austria now seems a divided nation. That became clear when the two rivals for the Austrian presidency traded allegations of espionage, economic incompetence and “spreading lies” in their final television debate before Sunday’s rerun of a run-off vote.

DIFFERENT VIEWS

Both men have a different opinions about the EU's future. Hofer has said he would push for a referendum on EU membership, if the block became more centralized after Brexit, a reference to Britain leaving the Union.  

Hofer has also focused on the EU’s migration crisis and called for a ban on economic migrants. Austria – a nation of 8.7 million – has taken in more than 120,000 migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia since last year, bearing much of the burden of the influx together with Germany and Sweden.

Van der Bellen has called for faster integration of recognized asylum seekers and seems more pro-EU than his far right rival.

A Hofer victory is expected to create tensions with Ukraine as he also wants to reach out to Russia and end sanctions. 

Speaking to his supporters, Hofer criticized the European Union for the sanctions against Russia because of its role in Ukraine. He said the sanctions against Russia were a hard blow to our agricultural sector. "We are in a diplomatic dead end because the sanctions had no effect except of damaging our economy and agricultural sector. And if you realize you are in a dead end, it is smart to stop and turn around."

CLOSELY WATCHED 

While the Austrian presidency is a largely ceremonial post, the vote is being watched in other EU countries. 

They view it as a barometer of how well their euroskeptic populist candidates will do in upcoming elections, including in France and the Netherlands.

A Eurobarometer survey this spring on views of the EU revealed 37 percent of Austrians had 
a negative outlook on Brussels. 

Yet, experts say amid rising Euroscepticism, Austrian voters show little support for leaving the EU, despite concerns over migration and Europe's future.  

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