“If the first results are confirmed this will be a good omen against populism in Europe,” Steinmeier, who is to become Germany's next president, told a news conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias in Athens.
Austria's Norbert Hofer conceded defeat on Sunday in his bid to become Europe's first far-right president, as projections showed he was lagging behind Greens-backed independent Alexander Van der Bellen in a bitterly fought election re-run.
“In this particular situation Europe is facing, we are urgently in need of good news,” Steinmeier said earlier during a meeting with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, referring to “the Brexit decision” and to “mounting pressure by populist and nationalist forces”.
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