Austrian chancellor calls for early vote to end crisis

CHANCELLOR Wolfgang Schuessel yesterday called for early elections to end a government crisis triggered by the resignation of four key leaders of the rightist Freedom Party, the junior partner in his coalition.

Schuessel told a news conference said he would propose holding elections “at the earliest possible date,” saying Austria “needs a stable government.”

Government officials said elections could be held in November. The next elections had been scheduled for September 2003.