AUSTRIA: DESPITE HUGE LOSES FAR RIGHT FREEDOM PARTY SET TO REGAIN ITS PLACE IN GOVERNMENT THANKS TO A LANDSLIDE CONSERVATIVE GENERAL ELECTION VICTORY
Record ID:
584723
AUSTRIA: DESPITE HUGE LOSES FAR RIGHT FREEDOM PARTY SET TO REGAIN ITS PLACE IN GOVERNMENT THANKS TO A LANDSLIDE CONSERVATIVE GENERAL ELECTION VICTORY
- Title: AUSTRIA: DESPITE HUGE LOSES FAR RIGHT FREEDOM PARTY SET TO REGAIN ITS PLACE IN GOVERNMENT THANKS TO A LANDSLIDE CONSERVATIVE GENERAL ELECTION VICTORY
- Date: 24th November 2002
- Summary: (U6) VIENNA, AUSTRIA (NOVEMBER 24) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV: WOLFGANG SCHUESSEL ON STAGE, SHAKING HANDS AND BEING CHEERED ON BY HIS SUPPORTERS 0.31 2. SCU: PARTY MANAGER MARIA PALLAT 0.36 3. MV: PARTY OFFICIALS ON STAGE, APPLAUDING 0.40 4. SV: SCHUESSEL AND WIFE ON STAGE, SCHUESSEL SPEAKING 0.51 5. SV: AUDIENCE 0.56 6. SV: SCHUESSEL'S WIFE HUGGING PARTY MANAGER 1.04 (U7) VIENNA, AUSTRIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. PAN FROM MEDIA TO PARTY LEADERS ON STAGE AT AUSTRIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY FOR STATEMENTS FOR THE NATION FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT OF ELECTION RESULTS 1.12 8. VARIOUS OF PARTY LEADERS (2 SHOTS) 1.22 9. SV: SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) WOLFGANG SCHUESSEL, LEADER OF CONSERVATIVE PEOPLES PARTY AND AUSTRIA'S CHANCELLOR ANSWERING QUESTION, SAYING: "Does this mean the big coalition? The same on the election day as before and after - we want to conduct open discussion with all three parties. Nothing has been decided. We want to make sure that all our reform proposals are met and it all depends on with which party we can agree on this. We want to offer trustworthy cooperation to all three parties. I do not exclude anyone, it will depend on our partners, those who want ot work with us." 1.58 10. WIDE WITH LEADERS ON STAGE WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS IN FOREGROUND 2.03 11. SCU: SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) SOCIAL DEMOCRATS LEADER ALFRED GUSENBAUER SAYING: "For us it is clear that there will always be a discussion, that is obvious in democracy. The second place for us means opposition because, as it became clear today, the Black and the Blue will have the majority. But, this does no mean that we will not participate in the discussion because the future of Austria is in question and it depends on us how we will master the big challenge ahead of us. We will try to contribute to this as a strong opposition." 2.2.43 12. WS/MV/SLV: PARTY LEADERS ON STAGE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (3 SHOTS) 3.00 (NIGHTSHOTS) 13. WIDE OF STREET IN CENTRAL VIENNA WITH CATHEDRAL IN BACKGROUND 3.06 14. MV: PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET 3.12 15. SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "I am upset because this whole election did not bring us anything and I do not understand why so many people decided wrong again. It is unbelievable." 3.26 16. SCU: SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "I am happy he (Wolfgang Schuessel) has the chance again. He should continue with his policy and do it well. If that is the case, I will vote him again." 3.39 17. SCU: SOUNDBITE (GERMAN) UNIDENTIFIED MAN SAYING: "I expected the Red-Green (to win). I am very, very disappointed. the only positive thing is that FPO (Freedom party) is reduced to a proportion that it really deserves." 3.52 (W6) VIENNA, AUSTRIA (NOVEMBER 24, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 18. VARIOUS OF DISPIRITED SUPPORTERS AT SPO (SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PEOPLE'S PARTY AUSTRIA) HEADQUARTERS (5 SHOTS) 4.12 19. VARIOUS OF DISPIRITED SPO SUPPORTERS WATCHING EXIT POLLS DEVELOP (3 SHOTS) 4.28 20. PULL-OUT OF RED CARNATION, INTENDED TO BE GIVEN TO WINNERS OF SPO, LYING IN HALLWAY 4.35 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th December 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VIENNA, AUSTRIA
- Country: Austria
- Reuters ID: LVAA64IS7IPBVZF8POJNIZ81903E
- Story Text: Despite being punished by Austrian voters Joerg
Haider's far-right party looked set to regain its place in
government thanks to the landslide victory of its conservative
former coalition partners.
Austrian voters trounced Joerg Haider's far-right party
on Sunday (November 24) but a conservative landslide set the
stage for a renewal of the centre-right coalition that sparked
international outrage when it was formed in 2000.
Haider's Freedom Party took only 10.2 percent of the vote,
according to the preliminary official results. That is almost
17 percentage points below its 1999 result and its worst tally
since Haider took over the party in 1986.
Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel chalked up the best result
in two decades for his conservative People's Party with 42.3
percent after coming in third place in 1999 with 27 percent.
Addressing the nation at a televised panel discussion
after the results Schuessel said he was opened for discussion
with all three parties. "We want to make sure that all our
reform proposals are met and it depend on with which party we
can agree on this", he said.
"It became clear today that the Black and the Blue will
have the majority, but this does not mean we will not
participate in the discussion. The future of Austria is in
question and we will try to contribute to this as strong
opposition", said Social Democratic party leader Alfred
Gusenbauer.
Analysts said the Freedom Party's weakness after its
election drubbing would make it a more attractive partner for
Schuessel than the larger Social Democrats.
"I am the leader of the Freedom Party, but, yes I will
speak to the Governor of Carinthia tomorrow at the Party
convention", Herbert Haupt, the leader of the Freedom Party
said answering question on whether he consulted Joerg Haider,
Austrian far-right leader who stepped down as party chairman
but remained the dominant force in the party.
Coalition talks could still take weeks and will only
begin after President Thomas Klestil has talks with the party
heads and then gives the largest party the nod to start
negotiations.
"I am upset because this whole election did not bring us
anything", a Vienna resident told Reuters on Sunday night.
"I am happy he (Wolfgang Schuessel) has the second
chance", said another.
A Schuessel government could be expected to continue a
policy of limiting deficit spending, pursuing liberalisation
and privatising the remaining state stakes in top companies
such as Telekom Austria and Austrian Airlines.
Schuessel also supports EU enlargement by taking in new
members from central and eastern Europe.
Haider's party is isolated in parliament with its
objections to Czech Republic membership of the EU unless the
Czechs shut down a border nuclear power plant and rescind
post-World War Two laws that allowed the deportation of ethnic
Germans.
Haider dominated Austrian politics for much of the 1990s
and has suffered a dramatic fall from grace. He led his party
from the political fringe to second place in the 1999
elections, after which it formed a government with the
People's Party.
Haider stepped down as party chairman in 2000 to defuse EU
and U.S. diplomatic sanctions against Austria for letting the
far right into government.
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