Thanks to JIMMY KLINE (300-A/LIFE-1987) for updates on the
elections in Austriawhere Dr. JORG HAIDER (1616-1990)
and his political party are gaining ground and possibly political
dominance in the Austrian Government. During our 1990 'Patrol
in Europe' our SHARKHUNTERS group were guests of Dr.
HAIDER at an evening reception, where many old veterans wore
their uniforms accurately then for a gathering at the city hall. This
photo is Dr. HAIDER (left) and (right) HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-
1983) atop Ulrichsberg (Ulrich's mountain) for a ceremony during
our 1990 'Patrol'. It is all on Tape H-10. Here are the clips, mostly
from Reuters Agency:
Oct 5 - Austrian far-right leader Jorg Haider whose Freedom Party made historic gains in a weekend election to become the 2d largest party in parliament, said on Tuesday he was ready for government.
"We are ready to work. we are ready for government. we are ready to take on responsibilty."
Haider told a news conference, his first since Sunday's election in which Chancellor Viktor Klima's Social Democrats suffered heavy losses. "Of course we are in a position to take on a stronger opposition role at any time. But we are also available as a government party."
Preliminary results gave the Freedom Party- 27.2 percent, just ahead of the conservatives People's Party on 26.9 percent and six points behind the Social Democrats who slid to 33.4 percent from 38 percent at the general election. However, the Freedom Party was just over 14,000 votes ahead of the People's Party and some 200,000 absentee ballots have yet to be counted, so it will not be clear until next week which party has come second.
The shape of the next government therefore remains wide open, with the People's Party holding the balance of power- It could form coalitions with either the Freedom Party or the Social Democrats. Haider said that he assumed President Thomas Klestil would first ask Klima, as head of the largest party, to form a government. If that failed, it would be normal for Klestil to turn to the Freedom Party. Haider said ne did not exclude a coalition with anyone and was open to talks with any party that was prepared to talk to him. He said that it could be two to four months before the next government is in place.
Sorry for the poor quality of the photo. It ran in an Austrian newspaper in 1990 and we have copied and recopied it a lot.
Here are some headlines from Austria on 4 October:
4:31pm Austria lurches to right, future unclear.
Austria lurched to the right in weekend elections as Jorg
Haider's anti-foreigner Freedom Party snatched second place,
ending 50 years of consensus politics and heralding months of
wrangling over a new government.
7:32pm Austria's Klima for coalition but not at any price.
Austria's Social Democratic Chancellor Viktor Klima, whose
party lost heavily to the far right in Sunday's election, said Monday
he still wanted to head a new coalition, but not at any price.
Here are more headlines from Austria on 5 October.
11:22am Austrian Government to resign, stay as caretakers
Austria's coalition government was expected to resign on
Tuesday but stay as a caretaker while a new cabinet is formed in
the wake of the far-right Freedom Party's historic gains in a
weekend election.
1:22pm Austria's Haider says ready for government
Austrian far-right leader Jorg Haider, whose Freedom Party
made historic gains in a weekend election to become the second
largest party in parliament, said on Tuesday he ww, ready for
government.
4:22pm Austria has not turned Nazi, Greens say
Austria's leftist Greens party on Tuesday condemned the
'hysterical' international reaction to the success of the far-right
Freedom Party in Sunday's election and said the country had not
turned Nazi.
7:23pm Austrian business backs reformed grand coalition
Leading Austrian industrialists and bankers said on Tuesday
a reformed version of the centerist coalition should remain in office
despite Sunday's election setback which saw the far-right Freedom
Party gain second place.
HARRY's NOTE - Remember, it is the press that put all the labels on people, parties etc. and 'slants' the news in whatever direction they want the reader to receive it.
More on the Austrian Election
We cover this since Dr. HAIDER is a long-time Member of our SHARKHUNTERS, and because this is major news. Remember to weed out the chaff the press puts in their reports, from the wheat
Virima, Oct 12 - The final results of Austria's election released on Tuesday showed the conservative People's Party bouncing back to finish joint second behind the Social Democrats in a photo-finish tie with the far right.
In Austria's most dramatic election result since World War Two, Jorg Haider's anti-foreigner Freedom Party lost one of the 53 seats which preliminary results had shown it would get, and ended up with 52 seats, level with the People's Party.
Haider hailed the result as a historic mandate for reform and a clear rejection by voters of the 13-Year-old grand coalition of Social Democrats and the People's Party.
"Voters have quite clearly voted the red-black coalition out of office."
He told Austrian state television, referring to the colors of the coalition parties. "The Freedom Party has won the best result in its history. "
Final official results, issued after some 250,000 absentee ballots were counted, showed the Freedom Party just 415 votes ahead of the People'& Party out of 4.62 million valid votes cast.
Chancellor Viktor Klima's Social Democrats remained the largest party at 65 seats, unchanged from the preliminary result on October 3 and their worst performance since World War Two. The Greens added one seat to finish with 14.
The 415-vote margin between the second and third could scarcely have been narrower - and it will be crucial in determining the make-up of Austria's next government.
PRESIDENT URGES MODERATION
President Thomas Klestil was expected to invite Klima as leader of the largest party to try to form a government, possibly on Tuesday or Wednesday. Klima, who has ruled out any alliance with Haider, will approach the People's Party. Months of tough negotiations are likely to follow and some political analysts say early new elections cannot be ruled out if the major parties are unable to agree.
Kleistil said on Tuesday that stability was his main concert'-, and urged party leaders to put aside party interests and tactical considerations and act responsibly.
The Social Democrats won 33.15 percent of the vote, while the Freedom Party and the People's Party each got 26.91 percent and the Greens got 7,40 percent- Political analyst's said Raider's advance did not represent a swing by Austrians to the far right but reflected the disgruntlement of ordinary voters with the 'cronyism, and resistance to change of the leading parties.
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© Copyright 1999 by Harry Cooper, Sharkhunters International, Inc.
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