AUSTRIA: FAR-RIGHT FIREBRAND JOERG HAIDER SET TO RETURN TO THE HELM OF HIS FREEDOM PARTY AFTER DELEGATES NOMINATED HIM TO STEER PARTY INTO SNAP ELECTIONS

Record ID: 647151

  • Title: AUSTRIA: FAR-RIGHT FIREBRAND JOERG HAIDER SET TO RETURN TO THE HELM OF HIS FREEDOM PARTY AFTER DELEGATES NOMINATED HIM TO STEER PARTY INTO SNAP ELECTIONS
  • Date: 13th September 2002
  • Summary: (W7) LINZ, AUSTRIA (SEPTEMBER 11, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PEOPLE WAITING; MV DELEGATES ARRIVING FOR PARTY CONFERENCE; MV JOERG HAIDER ARRIVING FOR PARTY CONFERENCE (6 SHOTS) 0.39 2. SOUNDBITE: (German) JOERG HAIDER SAYING "I am taking on the part as party leader on condition that the party congress elects me to take the Freedom party into the election." 0.46 3. MV HAIDER LEAVES PERSUED BY MEDIA 1.00 4. SLV HAIDER ADDRESSING CONFERENCE; DELEGATES LEAVING (2 SHOTS) 1.31 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) JOERG HAIDER SAYING "I was asked by an overwhelming majority of the delegates to take the Presidency of my party, and I excepted because at the moment, we are in a difficult situation and facing the election campaign, the majority in my party thinks I have the ambition and the ability to run this electipon campaign, therefore I decided to do this". 2.09 5. SLV PRESS LEAVING 2.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LINZ, AUSTRIA
  • Country: Austria
  • Reuters ID: LVA31AFGHNRDUYLK8846KE3LOI9U
  • Story Text: Austria's far-right firebrand Joerg Haider was set to
    return to the helm of his Freedom Party on Wednesday after
    delegates unanimously nominated him to steer the party into
    November's snap elections.

    The snap election was called after Haider, an
    anti-immigration populist, led a party revolt over tax
    policies that ousted Freedom Party chairwoman and Vice
    Chancellor Susanne Riess-Passer and toppled the coalition
    government.

    Haider has dominated the Freedom Party from the wings
    since giving up the chairmanship after 15 years in May 2000,
    shortly after the party entered government with the People's
    Party.

    Last weekend Haider led a revolt among the party rank and
    file to oust Freedom Party ministers over plans to delay
    promised tax cuts.

    The move prompted Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel of the
    conservative People's Party to break up the coalition on
    Monday.

    " I was asked by an overwhelming majority of the delegates to
    take the Presidency of my party, and I excepted because at the
    moment, we are in a difficult situation and facing the
    election campaign, the majority in my party thinks I have the
    ambition and the ability to run this electipon campaign,
    therefore I decided to do this". Mr.Haider said after the
    convention.

    Political analysts say Haider's apparent reluctance to run
    for chancellor may be because he fears the party will do badly
    in November. By not running for chancellor, Haider would be
    better placed to stay on as chairman if the party gets a poor
    result in the polls.

    Haider will likely play up Austrian fears of immigration
    and job losses to Czechs, Slovaks and Hungarians if those
    neighbours join Austria in the European Union.

    He has repeatedly threatened to block Austrian approval of
    EU expansion into central and eastern Europe because of
    disputes with the Czech Republic over a Czech nuclear plant
    and Czech treatment of ethnic Germans after World War Two.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register