Haider, Jörg (1950—)

Jörg Haider is the current governor of the Austrian state of Carinthia, the former head of the so-called Austrian Freedom Party (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs/FPÖ), and founding member of the BZÖ (Bündnis Zukunft Österreich/Alliance for the Future of Austria). After taking over the Freedom Party chair in September 1986, Haider began a swift ascendancy in the FPÖ that found its climax in the 1999 elections (the party gained 27% of the votes and the second place behind the Social Democrats). After forming a coalition with the Christian-conservative Peoples Party (Österreichische Volkspartei/ÖVP) and resigning as head of the FPÖ (facing massive pressure because of former statements made about the Third Reich and foreigners), he continued his position as governor of Carinthia. Continual losses in regional elections and internal party conflicts led to the end of the coalition in 2002; in the following federal elections the FPÖ lost more than the half of their votes. However, the ÖVP resumed the coalition with Haider's Freedom Party. Further election defeats increased criticism about the party line and of Haider. In 2005, the governing part of the Freedom Party and Haider split from the FPÖ and founded a new party, the BZÖ.

Jörg Haider portrayed himself as a new type of politician. He relied on populist attacks against the great coalition between the Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs/SPÖ) and the ÖVP. This government, amassing more than twothirds of the parliamentary vote in 1999 and in office for 13 years, was a target of attacks and was noted for several scandals. By fraternizing with the voters against the politicians, Haider presented himself to be more a fighter for justice (and later for social issues) than a real politician.

Haider was often criticized for showing a biased view of Austria's Nazi history (playing down historical facts concerning Nazism) as well as for his party's hostile and xenophobic attitude against foreigners and asylum seekers.

Haider introduced several new techniques into campaigning in Austria; he was, for instance, the first politician to use a Taferl (board with short messages) in political debates on TV, and began an ongoing tradition. All campaign work was totally focused on the person of Haider; his face eventually showed up on regional election posters in place of the regional candidate's. In discussions and speeches he often made insulting jokes about his opponents, and relied on (sometimes antiSemitic) stereotypes and prejudices in his arguments.

Frequently discussed with the ascendancy of Haider during the 1990s is the role of the media, as it [Page 294]offered him much space and time. His face is found on countless covers, mainly because of his highly criticized statements. Politically, a debate took place about whether a politics of exclusion as done by Chancellor Franz Vranitzky (SPÖ) was the right tactic. Some argue that if Haider had been given responsibility (for instance, as part of a government), his winning streak would suddenly have come to an end—of course, at the price of making (extreme) right-wing populism part of the government.