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The rise of the extreme right to power in Austria. Diversified reactions

(B2 archives) The entry of the party of Jörg Haider, leader of the far-right FPO in the Austrian government led by the Christian Democrats of the OVP aroused various reactions in the European class, from the end of January.

Nicole Fontaine, the President of the European Parliament worried" the 27th January 2000 "from the perspective of Jörg Haider's entry into the Austrian government.”. She believes that " Jörg Haider's party conveys an ideology that is at odds with the humanist values ​​that underpin any democratic society. The EU is founded on these values ​​of respect for human rights and refusal of exclusion and it would be intolerable for a party which denies these fundamental principles to come to power in one of the countries of the Union. »

The annoyed Christian Democrat right

This opinion provoked a strong reaction within his party, the EPP, the European People's Party (which includes the RPR and the UDF), which appears very divided on the question (to put it mildly). " This will inevitably lead to a crisis within the EPP” says François Bayrou (France, UDF). " For my part and in my European functions, I will not accept the situation created by such an agreement ". The UDF is ready to stake its stake in the PPE if the OVP signs with the FPO says its management. The French, Jean-Louis Bourlanges, rapporteur for the European budget, does not say better.

Identical position among the Belgians. Joëlle Milquet, President of the Christian Social Party (Belgium, EPP): calls for the exclusion of the OVP from the European People's Party if it enters into an alliance with the FPO "" The PSC cannot accept that a party which has conveyed an extreme right ideology for many years is associated with power thanks to the support of a member party of the EPP. It is enough to read the work of Jorg Haider “freedom such as I conceive it” to realize the objective aimed by this party."

Ewa Klamt, deputy of the CDU (Christlich-Demokratische Union, Germany) summarizes the dilemma well. " We are very troubled (disturbed). " As a German, I feel specifically concerned by what is happening in Austria. It's really a problem ».

The leader of the EPP, the Belgian (Flemish) Wilfried Maertens wants to evacuate the problem. " This is an internal problem in Austria, but which has repercussions at European level. This problem will be discussed at the level of the European People's Party on February 10.

The left upwind

« Negotiating with the far right is a line you should never cross says Enrique Barón, President of the European Socialists. " Europe must not relive a political Munich by accepting that its Councils of Ministers sit far-right deputies says Marie-Noëlle Lienemann, Vice-President of the European Parliament (France, PS). The MP wants “the European Parliament deliberates solemnly, for example during the next plenary session in February in Strasbourg, to clearly indicate its opposition to any entry of the extreme right and to call on the democrats to refuse such coalitions.”

His compatriot, Gérard Caudron (PS, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee), highlights " a paradox, that of imposing, rightly, on the candidate countries for the enlargement of Eastern Europe, to get rid of their tinsel of xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism when they would be formalized in a Member State ».

The Austrian Hannes Swoboda, vice-president of the Socialist Group in charge of foreign affairs fears that the EPP, which has already accepted 'biased' delegations such as Forza Italia, is welcoming deputies from the Austrian far right. The chairman of the Austrian socialist delegation points out that five Austrian deputies (currently among the 'non-attached' members) are seeking membership in a parliamentary group: the Christian Democrats would be soiled, contaminated, by the reception of these deputies ».

Some deputies who sit among the non-registered, such as Olivier Dupuis (from the Emma Bonino list) however note certain contradictions. " I have no sympathy for Haider's position. But there is no reason, neither legal (articles 6 and 7 are very specific) nor political to sanction it. There are serious and persistent violations elsewhere in Belgium, Italy (justice), France. In Austria, there are only risks, of a different nature of course. But there are security abuses elsewhere in Europe that have not caused any particular indignation. (cf. suffocation in Belgium).

Even Eurosceptic MEPs, such as the Dutchman Bastian Belder (SGP Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij” party for the reform of the state / EDD, Europe of democracies and differences, historian by profession) are troubled “ This will not help Austria's position within the European Union. I am not in favor of what Haider says. We have to see what this coalition will be able to do as a policy »

The position of the European Commission 

The European Commission seems embarrassed. " We must not prejudge the government, it has a very pro-European program loose a spokesperson. There is no question of this issue being on the agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference. says the European Commission. We must not pollute the IGC with questions other than those set by the Heads of State. " You cannot exclude a state from Europe. We can only punish him. When we signed a European treaty — specifies a close friend of Prodi —, we cannot get out of it. »

For Franz Fischler, the European Commissioner for Agriculture (Austrian, Conservative), who on 7 December 1999 inaugurated the Carinthia office (this Austrian land run by the liberals and by Haider), there is no reason to a boycott. “Carinthia has a democratically elected president. This may please some and displease others. But that too is democracy. » While we are currently demonstrating in front of the door, he intends to distinguish himself. " My conception of dialogue is obviously different from that of these demonstrators. I have always clearly distanced myself from any discrimination against foreigners and minorities and I do not see why I would have changed on this point.. » (...)

“I believe that the commitment to a common Europe based on solidarity and tolerance should be borderless. It seems to me that we should all have understood by now that nationalism, xenophobia and isolationism have not only marked the darkest chapters of European history, they are also decidedly anachronistic notions that should be left in their place: in the dustbin of history! »

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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