Austria says presidential election result due earlier, after 1330 GMT

The result of Austria's knife-edge presidential election, in which the Freedom Party candidate could become the European Union's first far-right head of state, will be announced earlier than planned, Austria's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Postal ballots will determine Sunday's run-off between Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer and independent Alexander van der Bellen, which is too close to call.

The Interior Ministry expects the result, including postal ballots, to be announced between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. (1330 and 1400 GMT), it said in a statement. It had previously expected the result to be announced after 5 p.m.