(ANSA) - BOLZANO - On December 4, the Austrians will go back to the polls to repeat the ballot for president between Green Alexander Van der Bellen and ultranationalist Norbert Hofer. In May, the ecologist won by a handful of votes over the exponent of the FPÖ, but the result was annulled by the Constitutional Court due to irregularities in the counting of the votes by correspondence.

After Brexit and after the Trump victory in the US, the outcome is more uncertain than ever, and will be a photo finish.

Long pollsters abstain from any forecast, since the two candidates are divided in only 1 to 2%. Certainly votes by correspondence will be decisive this time. The fact that the number of Austrians abroad, which required a card, is increased by one third, could encourage Van der Bellen. To recover 31,000 votes that divide him from the green, Hofer moderated the tone and explicitly addresses the Catholic electorate. (ANSA).