"The eyes of Europe, if not the world are turned to Austria, as this election could see the birthplace of Adolf Hitler become the first European nation to elect a far-right head of state since World War II," writes Sophie Makris, AFP's bureau chief in Vienna. "Norbert Hofer, the candidate of the extreme right Freedom Party of Austria, is running neck in neck with Alexander Van der Bellen, the former head of the Greens party."

"And all the ORF public television can show is a tacky slapstick television series."