VIENNA, May 19 (Reuters) - Austria's President Alexander van der Bellen said on Sunday he recommends new parliamentary elections to be held early September.

It was most important that Austrians were given the chance for a new start to rebuild trust in its government, van der Bellen said in a statement at his Hofburg residence in Vienna.

"This new beginning should take place quickly, as quickly as the provisions of the Federal Constitution permit, so I plead for elections... in September, if possible at the beginning of September," the president said.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz pulled the plug on his coalition and called for a snap election after his deputy, the leader of the far-right Freedom Party, quit over a video showing him discussing fixing state contracts in return for favours. (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)