Germany's top court on Tuesday rejected a request by the neo-Nazi NPD party to be given a constitutional stamp of approval even as lawmakers from other parliamantary parties seek to ban it. The National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) had asked the Federal Constitutional Court in November to rule whether the far-right party conformed to the German constitution. But in a decision Tuesday, the court dismissed the NPD's petition, arguing that the court's statutes did not allow for such a ruling.

Austria's far-right on Sunday lost power in the state of Carinthia, its late leader Joerg Haider's former stronghold, projections from state election results showed. The Freedom Party's share of the vote more than halved to 20.4 percent from 44.9 percent at the 2009 election, with Chancellor Werner Faymann's Social Democrats (SPOe) scoring 33.9 percent, up from 28.9 percent. A new eurosceptic party formed in 2012 by Austro-Canadian auto parts billionaire Frank Stronach scored 9.7 percent, the projections by polling institute ARGE indicated.

Austria's far-right was set for a drubbing Sunday in the former fiefdom of its late leader Joerg Haider, in one of two state elections ahead of a national vote in the autumn. The contests in Carinthia and Lower Austria were also the first electoral test for Austro-Canadian eurosceptic auto parts billionaire Frank Stronach since his entry into Austrian politics in September. Haider sent shockwaves through Europe in 2000 when his party became part of the federal government and even after support fell and his movement split, he remained popular in Carinthia.

What's happening in Europe on Sunday: + Swiss voters to decide on curbing pay for business fat cats GENEVA: Switzerland holds a referendum on measures to rein in big salaries and bonuses for business leaders, especially the so-called golden parachutes for executives leaving a company. Results are expected around 1300 GMT as some voters have already cast their ballots by mail. (SWITZERLAND-REFERENDUM-BUSINESS-WAGE) -- OTHER ITEMS --