Story highlights Far-right presidential candidate Norbert Hofer admits defeat in Austrian election

His public persona had shifted from gun-toting strongman to smiling face of the far right

(CNN) He's the smiling, anti-refugee presidential candidate who was hoping to sweep into power in Sunday's Austrian election.

But Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer has instead conceded defeat after exit polls showed an apparent win for his rival, Green Party candidate Alexander Van der Bellen.

Voters seemingly turned their backs on Hofer, who would have been the first far-right president in Western Europe since the end of World War II.

Austrian election candidates Alexander Van der Bellen and Norbert Hofer.

Exit polls announced by state broadcaster ORF showed Van der Bellen with 53.6% of the vote, though official results are not expected until late Sunday or early Monday.

It marks a significant increase for Van der Bellen, who narrowly defeated Hofer by some 30,000 votes during the original election in May.

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