Austria’s far-right Freedom Party victorious in national election, say early projections

VIENNA — The far-right Freedom Party of Austria stormed to victory on Sunday, according to early projections, marking the first time since World War II that a party with fascist leanings has won a national election in the Alpine nation.

The Freedom Party, which was founded by a group of Nazi veterans in the 1950s, led the field with 29.1 percent of the vote, edging out the center-right Austrian People’s Party, which currently leads a coalition government. The People’s Party garnered 26.2 percent. The center-left Social Democrats finished third with 20.4 percent, followed by the liberal Neos with 8.8 percent and the Greens with 8.6 percent.

Victory for the party, if the projections hold, would expand Central Europe’s Putin-friendly European bloc.

This story is being updated.