American Jewish Committee Urges Austrian Political Leaders To Exclude Freedom Party From Coalition Negotiations

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 12 October 1999

The American Jewish Committee today urged Austria's political leaders to exclude the Freedom Party led by Joerg Haider from negotiations to form a coalition government.

"That an extremist political party whose leader is anti-Semitic, racist and xenophobic, however slick the packaging may be, could win more than a quarter of the vote in a national election, and gain nearly a third of the Parliament seats, is deeply disturbing," said David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee. "That this result would emerge in a prospering European country is even more troubling."

The American Jewish Committee has long been engaged with Austria, meeting regularly with Austrian government officials and with the Austrian Jewish leaders.

"We have the utmost respect for democracy in Austria and for its domestic political process, but we cannot remain silent," said Mr. Harris. "In no nation should a racist party be given sanctuary - and encouragement - at the seat of power in a governing coalition. We call on the mainstream democratic parties, which garnered nearly three-fourths of the national vote, to reject any overture to the Freedom Party."

Earlier this year, the AJC published "Austria and the Legacy of the Holocaust," a comprehensive report on Austria's behavior toward Jews and the Holocaust.

"Only in the past decade has Austria finally begun to engage in a measure of soul-searching and moral and historical reckoning," said Mr. Harris. "The sizable support for Haider is a serious setback for Austrian society, and any notion of including his party in the government would likely damage the country internationally."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org