Posted on 10/10/2008 11:36:08 PM PDT by ScaniaBoy
(Original article in Swedish. Translated by SB)
Austrian party leader Jörg Haider killed in car accident
The Austrian party leader Jörg Haider was killed in a car accident early Saturday morning.
The governor of the Austrian province Kärnten, and party leader for BZÖ (The Union for Austria’s Future) Jörg Haider was killed in a traffic accident early Saturday in Klagenfurt, capital of Kärnten, it was reported by the news agency APA.
The 58 year old Haider was driving his service car when it for unknown reasons left the road. Haider suffered severe chest and head injuries and died shortly after the accident.
In the general elections 1999, Jörg Haider’s FPÖ received 27% of the votes and could triumphantly take a place in the coalition government with the Conservative party (ÖVP). As a result of Haider's inclusion in the government Austria was boycotted by 14 other EU-countries.
In 2000 Haider resigned from the party leadership of FPÖ. In the election 2002 the party lost many votes, but Haider retained his popularity and kept the position as governor of Kärnten.
In 2005 a new party BZÖ was formed by splitting off from the FPÖ, and Haider became the party chairman of BZÖ.
In the national elections in September the two nationalist parties made big gains. Haider’s party got 11% of the vote.
Haider was born in the province of Kärnten. He studied Law and Political science in Vienna and was employed as assistant at the university before entering politics.
He became chairman of the FPÖ 1986 and was elected to parliament in Vienna 1992 to 1999.
In the elections 1999 his anti-immigration and anti-EU policies guided guided FPÖ to the position as Austria’s second largest party. He was the first right-wing populist politician in Europe that managed to win a seat in government for his party. Haider did not receive a ministerial post himself, and a year later he resigned as party chairman.
EU-icide?
Surprised it wasn’t a helicopter accident.
Big episode...this trigger a huge infight with the party over who runs things now. Strange this occurs just after the election last weekend. I’d be asking some questions here...
Any information from Austrian press that you could dispense?
I’m looking - will be back...
there are no coincidences.
Was it the Serbs?
Bizarre. RIP.
Ask Arnold..........
Arnold is gone.
I remember the left going nuts when this guy was elected president during the 90s. Dan Rather pronounced his name being “hater”, literally.
May he rest in Peace.
Haider was driving his VW Phaeton on the Loiblpass-Bundesstraße south of Kalgenfurt. According to the police the accident happened shortly after Haider had overtaken anothe car. It was the driver of that car who reported the accident. Haider was alone in his car.
So far no political response apart from the vice chairman of BZÖ, Stefan Petzner, who is devastated.
Jörg Haider was probably on his way home to his family in Bärental. This weekend the family would have celebrated his mother's 90th birthday. Haider leaves behind his wife and two daughters.
Is Haider the guy who recently opened the internment facility for suspected criminals seeking asylum in Austria?
Guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan died in helicopter crash.
Do you think BZO will fold without his leadership or is leaders like Stromberger strong enough to keep it together? Also wonder if that could change the relationship with FPO/Strache.
Yes, I believe just for his province though.
EUthenasia.
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