Austrian political parties approve early election motion

VIENNA – With Austria's government coalition frayed beyond repair, all political parties have approved a motion in parliament calling for early elections on Oct. 15.

The proposal agreed on Wednesday still has to be accepted by a parliamentary committee to become legislation but that is only a formality.

Regular elections had been scheduled for the fall of 2018. But with the center-left coalition bogged down by infighting, sentiment had grown over the past weeks among all parties that early elections are a necessity.