The refugee crisis in Europe has claimed its biggest political casualty with the resignation yesterday of Werner Faymann, Austria’s chancellor, in the face of surging support for the country’s far-right Freedom party.

Mr Faymann, who led Austria for more than seven years, quit after losing the backing of his centre-left Social Democratic party. It came two weeks after his party’s candidate came fourth in first-round elections for the largely ceremonial job of president. Freedom party candidate Norbert Hofer led with more than 35 per cent of the vote.

The party’s anti-immigration message has resonated with voters alarmed by the influx into Europe of more than 1m refugees and migrants from Syria and other Middle Eastern and African countries over the past year.