Jörg Haider is dead

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Dahak
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Dahak »

The Romulan Republic wrote:I'm never one to rejoice at someone's death, but I can't help but wonder if Europe dodged a bullet here.

The last time their was a major economic crisis on this scale was the Great Depression, and I'm sure I don't need to point out that it was under those circumstances that Hitler came to power. Now, I can't say I know enough about Haider to claim that he was the next Hitler, but the idea of a nationalist, xenophobic right-winger coming to power, especially in the pressent circumstances, scares me.
Well, from what I gather, the head of the FPÖ, Strache, is as bad or worse as Haider was; and he's still there.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by The Romulan Republic »

Dahak wrote:Well, from what I gather, the head of the FPÖ, Strache, is as bad or worse as Haider was; and he's still there.
I guess it depends on weather this Strache has the charisma and skill to hold his party together with any success.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

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no conspiracy here, he was just plain drunk according to his spokesman
(CNN) -- Far-right Austrian politician Joerg Haider was drunk at the time of his fatal car accident over the weekend, his spokesman said Wednesday.

Stefan Petzner told the Austria Press Agency that Haider's blood-alcohol level was more than three times over the legal limit when he crashed his car early Saturday.

Haider, 58, had just passed another car on the road out of Klagenfurt, in southern Austria, when he crashed into a concrete post and his car rolled over, police said. He had been driving to Baerental in the Black Forest, where his family was going to celebrate his mother's 90th birthday, the APA reported.

For years, Haider was a well-known figure in Austrian politics both for his far-right stance and for his perceived pro-Nazi comments.

At the time of his death, Haider was governor of the southern state of Carinithia and head of the BZO party (Alliance for the Future of Austria). He had founded the party in 2005 after years of leading the conservative Freedom Party.

He drew widespread criticism for his anti-immigrant stance and remarks considered anti-Semitic, and in 1991 he publicly praised Nazi Germany's employment policy. He later apologized for the statement and publicly denounced Nazism.

Haider continued to draw attention for his controversial remarks, including an address to veterans of the Waffen S.S., Adolf Hitler's elite soldiers. Haider insisted he was not racist or anti-Semitic.

Under Haider's leadership, the Freedom Party made a strong showing in the 1999 elections, winning more than a quarter of the vote and shaking up the traditional two-party system that had ruled Austria since World War II.

Haider also had success with the BZO party. He was credited with helping the party make significant gains in last month's general elections alongside the Freedom Party, though Austria's two largest parties, the Social Democrats and the People's Party, came out on top.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Big Orange »

Huh, what a dipstick and for once the seemingly right person died this year, even though his death could've opened a can of worms (he seemingly had mainstream appeal and could've kept the real loonies in line).
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Bounty »

Haider to be succeeded by his gay lover. Wait, what?
The new leader of the party previously headed by Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider has admitted the two men had a "special relationship".

Stefan Petzner told Austrian radio that Mr Haider, whom he met five years ago, was his "life partner".


Mr Haider died in a high-speed car crash earlier this month. The 58-year-old had a high blood alcohol limit.

He had led the Alliance for Austria's Future, a party best known for its anti-immigration and anti-EU policies.

Mr Petzner took over as party leader following Mr Haider's sudden death.

The father-of-two had said frequently that he would like his young protege to take his place one day.

"We had a special relationship that went far beyond friendship," Mr Petzner said in an emotional interview.

"Joerg and I were connected by something truly special. He was the man of my life," he added.

And he insisted that Mr Haider's widow did not object to their relationship.

Joerg Haider became a potent political force in Austria in the 1980s and 90s.

His Alliance for Austria's Future had recently enjoyed further success, gaining more than 10% of the votes in September's general election.
What is it with right-wingers and steamy man-love?
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Teebs »

Bounty wrote: What is it with right-wingers and steamy man-love?
I don't know about Austria specifically, but there have been far-right parties in Europe in recent years which have no problem with homosexuality, weird as that may be.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

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Aaaand loverboy's kicked out.
The successor of the Austrian far-right leader Jörg Haider was dismissed yesterday after he revealed a “special” relationship “far beyond” friendship with his former mentor.

In emotional interviews with the national broadcaster and a tabloid newspaper Stefan Petzner spoke openly about his affair with Haider, who died at the age of 58 in a high-speed car crash after heavy drinking session at a gay club this month. Haider’s party, the Alliance for the Future of Austria, captured 11 per cent of the vote in national elections last month .

“He was the man of my life. Our relationship went far beyond friendship,” Mr Petzner, 27, said after only a week in the job, adding that Haider’s wife, Claudia, 52, “did not object” to their relationship.

“I only had him. Now I am all alone. I would spend nights with him and his family and that was important for me because I often was afraid to be alone in the dark,” he added.

Mr Petzner’s appointment as party leader was widely seen as a fulfilment of Haider’s last wish, as he had frequently said in public that he would like his young protégé to take his place one day. Mr Petzner dropped out of university when he met Haider at a party. At that time he was working as a journalist, writing about cosmetic treatments.

Outraged by the interviews, the party felt compelled yesterday to dismiss its leader amid reports of his alleged role in Haider’s tragic death. Local papers said that, on the night of his accident, Haider and Mr Petzner had a row at a magazine launch party. Haider left in a hurry and drove to a gay club in Klagenfurt, his home town, where he drank vodka with male escorts. The reports said that he was hardly able to walk to his car.

The new leader of the Alliance, Josef Buchner, 43, a hotel owner and a divorced father of two, is seen as a more conservative choice. Mr Petzner will serve as his deputy.
What the christ?
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Bounty
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Bounty »

I don't know about Austria specifically, but there have been far-right parties in Europe in recent years which have no problem with homosexuality, weird as that may be.
I know, I know, but usually social conservatism and homophobia go hand-in-hand.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by mr friendly guy »

Bounty wrote: What is it with right-wingers and steamy man-love?
Which other right wingers turned out to be gay? :mrgreen:

I remember a republican, and his story was posted in N & P some time ago.

Also Ted Haggard, although he is not a politician per se, but he claims to have big political influence.

And wasn't Pym Fortane ? spelling also gay.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by Teebs »

mr friendly guy wrote:
Bounty wrote: What is it with right-wingers and steamy man-love?
Which other right wingers turned out to be gay? :mrgreen:

I remember a republican, and his story was posted in N & P some time ago.

Also Ted Haggard, although he is not a politician per se, but he claims to have big political influence.

And wasn't Pym Fortane ? spelling also gay.
I think the difference between Ted Haggard and Pym Fortune is that the Dutch one was openly gay and didn't pretend not to be, so you can't really do him for hypocrisy on that point.
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Re: Jörg Haider is dead

Post by mr friendly guy »

Well I never made any claims about whether Pim Fortuyn hid his homosexuality, although I concede my use of the phrase "turned out" might suggest it was hidden as opposed to "known to be".

From memory he was openly gay and he didn't seem as bad as some other right wing politicians. According to his wiki article he didn't see himself as either right or left, and looking at some of his policies it seems generally liberal compared to other right wing contemporaries.
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