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Haider's erratic behaviour prompts FPO collapse

01 November 2002

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The behaviour of Jorg Haider is being blamed for the demise of the far-right Freiheitliche Partei Osterreichs (FPO) in November's general election. The FPO saw its vote reduced from 27% to 10 per cent in the biggest collapse of any political party in Austria's postwar history. The FPO trailed in third place behind their former collaborators in the Osterreichsche Volspartei (OVP) who received 42% of the vote and the social democrats (37%). Following the crushing defeat Haider announced his withdrawal from Austrian politics observing that he saw the vote as "an expression of distrust towards me". He also offered to resign from his role as governor of Carinthia saying that he was disillusioned with politics.
Predictably, within a couple of days Haider had withdrawn his offer arguing that his party should stay in government, and indicating that he was ready to renew a coalition with Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel of the OVP. Schussel, who in 1997 pledged never to enter into partnership with the extremist FPO, has moved further to the right, adopting many of the FPO's policies, particularly in relation to immigration and security. A divided FPO with little real power would prove to be a convenient cover for Schussel and the OVP to implement the PPO's policies while allowing Haider to shoulder the blame for them.
Guardian 25.11.02.

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