AUSTRIA’S OCTOBER ELECTIONS. Implications for the Turkey Debate
AUSTRIA’S OCTOBER ELECTIONS. Implications for the Turkey Debate

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Subject(s): Nationalism Studies, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment
Published by: ESI – European Stability Initiative
Keywords: Turkey-EU; Austrian nationalism; Joer Haider; Heinz-Christian Strache; FPÖ;
Summary/Abstract: The right-wing parties (FPÖ, BZÖ) have increased their votes and have become even more aggressively opposed to Turkish accession – but they are also more isolated now than before. || The issue of Turkish accession has figured most prominently in the campaign of the FPÖ. Opposition to any negotiations with Turkey has been the main demand of this party and it is listed as the main issue on the party’s own website. || This position is hardly surprising. The FPÖ is opposed to the European Union. It has most recently objected to the ratification of the accession treaties with Bulgaria and Romania (as the only party in the Austrian parliament). It is opposed to foreigners and dislikes Muslims. || Its position, however, is unlikely to have any direct political consequences. All other parties have excluded the option of forming a coalition with the FPÖ under its current leader Heinz-Christian Strache. || Jörg Haider, the key figure (but not official leader) of the BZÖ, has often changed his positions. In the late 1980s he was for Austria joining the EU, and in the early 1990s he was against. In the late 1990s he opposed EU enlargement, while since late 1999 he has supported it. In 2004, he argued for Turkey starting negotiations. Since 2005, he has argued against it. His influence is also seriously diminished as a result of these elections.

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