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==2016 Austrian presidential election==

==2016 Austrian presidential election==

[[File:Austrian presidential election 2016 round 1.png|thumb|300|Results of the first round of the 2016 Austrian presidential election, where the FPÖ (blue) received its best election result at the time (although it was surpassed in the two runoff elections).]]

[[File:Austrian presidential election 2016 round 1.png|thumb|300|Results of the first round of the 2016 Austrian presidential election, where the FPÖ (blue) received its best election result at the time (although it was surpassed in the two runoff elections).]]

Hofer ran for President of Austria (a largely ceremonial role) in 2016. In the first round of the election, Hofer received 35.1 percent of the vote, which at the time was the FPÖ's best result in a national election in its history.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (April 25, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-right-gets-boost-from-austrian-freedom-party-victory-1461598555 European Right Gets Boost From Austrian Freedom Party Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the run-off election by less than one percentage point, Austria’s Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the election due to irregularities in mail-in ballots.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (June 1, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-court-orders-rerun-of-presidential-vote-1467369788 Austrian Court Orders Rerun of Presidential Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> The election was eventually postponed until December 4, 2016.<ref>Connolly, Kate (September 12, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/austria-presidential-election-rerun-to-be-postponed-faulty-glue-ballot-papers Austrian presidential election postponed due to faulty glue]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref><ref>Tomlinson, Chris (September 13, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/13/fpo-austrian-election-delay-embarrassment/ Freedom Party Calls Austrian Election Delay An ‘Embarrassment’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

Hofer ran for President of Austria (a largely ceremonial role) in 2016. In the first round of the election, Hofer received 35.1 percent of the vote, which at the time was the FPÖ's best result in a national election in its history.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (April 25, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-right-gets-boost-from-austrian-freedom-party-victory-1461598555 European Right Gets Boost From Austrian Freedom Party Victory]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> Although Hofer lost the run-off election by less than one percentage point, Austria's Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the election due to irregularities in mail-in ballots.<ref>Troianovski, Anton (June 1, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/austrian-court-orders-rerun-of-presidential-vote-1467369788 Austrian Court Orders Rerun of Presidential Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref> The election was eventually postponed until December 4, 2016.<ref>Connolly, Kate (September 12, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/austria-presidential-election-rerun-to-be-postponed-faulty-glue-ballot-papers Austrian presidential election postponed due to faulty glue]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref><ref>Tomlinson, Chris (September 13, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/09/13/fpo-austrian-election-delay-embarrassment/ Freedom Party Calls Austrian Election Delay An ‘Embarrassment’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 17, 2016.</ref>

Although Hofer faced a far-left<ref name="TheGuardian">Henley, Jon (May 23, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/23/who-are-men-competing-austrias-next-president-norbert-hofer-alexander-van-der-bellen Who are the two men who competed to be Austria's next president?] ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Green Party candidate in the runoff who supported increased European integration and immigration, despite evidence that contrary positions were necessary, many establishment "conservatives" (who actually align more with leftists) strongly opposed Hofer and endorsed his opponent, Alexander Van der Bellen.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (November 22, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/22/austrian-establishment-conservatives-back-far-left-candidate/ ‘Never Hofer’: Austrian Establishment Conservatives Back Far Left Candidate]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Hofer, however, received support from disillusioned working-class voters.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (November 18, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/18/like-trump-norbert-hofer-attracting-disillusioned-working-class-voters/ Like Trump, Austria’s Norbert Hofer Attracting Disillusioned Working Class Voters]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Additionally, far-left European leaders, who cannot tell the difference between a conservative and a [[Nazi]], slanderously compared Hofer to a "Nazi."<ref name="BreitbartOct24">Tomlinson, Chris (October 24, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/10/24/former-eu-head-likens-fpo-presidential-candidate-norbert-hofer-nazi/ Former EU Head Likens Austrian Presidential Candidate Norbert Hofer to a Nazi]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref>

Although Hofer faced a far-left<ref name="TheGuardian">Henley, Jon (May 23, 2016). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/23/who-are-men-competing-austrias-next-president-norbert-hofer-alexander-van-der-bellen Who are the two men who competed to be Austria's next president?] ''The Guardian''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Green Party candidate in the runoff who supported increased European integration and immigration, despite evidence that contrary positions were necessary, many establishment "conservatives" (who actually align more with leftists) strongly opposed Hofer and endorsed his opponent, Alexander Van der Bellen.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (November 22, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/22/austrian-establishment-conservatives-back-far-left-candidate/ ‘Never Hofer’: Austrian Establishment Conservatives Back Far Left Candidate]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Hofer, however, received support from disillusioned working-class voters.<ref>Tomlinson, Chris (November 18, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/18/like-trump-norbert-hofer-attracting-disillusioned-working-class-voters/ Like Trump, Austria’s Norbert Hofer Attracting Disillusioned Working Class Voters]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref> Additionally, far-left European leaders, who cannot tell the difference between a conservative and a [[Nazi]], slanderously compared Hofer to a "Nazi."<ref name="BreitbartOct24">Tomlinson, Chris (October 24, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/10/24/former-eu-head-likens-fpo-presidential-candidate-norbert-hofer-nazi/ Former EU Head Likens Austrian Presidential Candidate Norbert Hofer to a Nazi]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref>