In a regional election in Austria’s largest state, the ruling conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) lost its absolute majority with a drop of about 10 percentage points, while the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) saw its best result yet. The election in Lower Austria was considered a litmus test of the nation’s broader political mood as the country handles a series of scandals that have damaged voter confidence. “The FPÖ has succeeded in turning this provincial election into a federal election,” said Lower Austrian ÖVP leader and Prime Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Her party, burdened by co…