Austria scandal: Support for far right party falls by 5 pct

Support for Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPO) fell by 5 percentage points to 18 per cent after longtime FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache was caught in an apparent sting operation offering to fix state contracts, a poll showed on Monday.

The Research Affairs survey presented by Austrian online news outlet Oe24 showed backing for Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's conservatives rising by 4 percentage points to 38 per cent.

On Monday Austria's two ruling parties agitated to end their coalition, with the chancellor seeking to oust the interior minister and his far-right coalition partner threatening to quit the teetering government if he does.