Kim Hjelmgaard

USA TODAY

Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party said it will contest May 22's presidential election that was narrowly lost by its candidate Norbert Hoffer, a top court said Wednesday.

Christian Neuwirth, a spokesman for Austria's Constitutional Court, announced the decision on Twitter.

Heinz-Christian Strache, the Freedom Party's leader, said it received “diverse information” on possible irregularities in the vote.

"We are not sore losers," Strache told reporters in Vienna. "This is about protecting the very foundations of democracy."

Hoffer was leading in the race when polls closed, but after a count of absentee ballots former Green party politician Alexander Van der Bellen eked out a victory by little more than 30,000 votes.

Austria presidential runoff a photo finish

The final count showed Van der Bellen with 50.3%, compared to 49.7% for Hofer. A successful challenge could result in a partial recount.

Austria's elections came amid growing populist and Euroskeptic movements across the continent from Germany to France to Poland.