Austria says presidential election result due earlier, after 1330 GMT

Left-wing independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen smiles after winning Austrian presidential election in Vienna, Austria, May 23, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria came close to becoming the first European Union country to elect a far-right head of state as postal ballots on Monday decided a knife-edge presidential vote in favour of the anti-immigration candidate's environmentalist opponent.

The results were awaited nervously by governments across Europe, where populist anti-immigration parties have surged over the past year on concerns over a refugee influx, continued weak economic growth and high unemployment.