On 9 May 2016, the Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann announced he would step down. The move follows the earlier victory of Norbert Hofer of the nationalist right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) in the first round of presidential Elections on 24 April 2016, in which the latter secured 36% of the vote, while the candidate of the Chancellor's Social Democrats (SPÖ) won merely about 11% of the vote, finishing 4th as its coalition partner finished 5th. Earlier during the traditional May Day Parade, the Chancellor was booed by his own party members. Faymann had come under increased pressure in his own party ranks, prompting his departure. The Chancellor had been criticized for shifting policies all the time, as he favoured the open approach to refugees before by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, while opposing it and enforcing Austria's borders in recent times, and putting a cap on the amount of refugees it would take in.

Faymann, who had been the second longst serving head of state in the EU right now apart from Angela Merkel, is leaving the political scene in a difficult political period. Traditional parties like the social democrats and Christian democrats are losing support, while the right wing nationalists are on the rise. It confirms a European trend, in the context of the refugee crisis and the threat of terrorism.

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