Austria: When pigs don’t fly

A suave diplomat loses her bid to become president

BEWARE of far-rightist friends bearing gifts, especially ones that oink and squeal. That was the lesson meted out to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the conservative hopeful - and loser - in Austria's presidential contest on April 25th.

In one of the campaign's odder moments, the candidate - who is currently foreign minister - received a last-minute endorsement from Jorg Haider, the de facto leader of the xenophobic Freedom Party; and as a “good luck” gesture, the tub-thumping demagogue gave her a live pig. This went down well with some voters in the rural province of Carinthia, where Mr Haider is governor. But in more liberal places, his gift proved an electoral kiss of death; it contributed to the victory of Heinz Fischer, a 65-year-old Social Democrat.

Although they work in the Hofburg palace where Hapsburg emperors once held sway, Austrian heads of state have little real power. But Mr Fischer's defeat of Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, the nominee of the conservative People's Party, was a warning to those who do wield authority: Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel and Mr Haider, whose party is a junior partner in the ruling coalition.

Mr Fischer is a political old-timer. Known as the “left conscience” of his party, he has been in politics for over 30 years, the last 14 as speaker or deputy speaker of parliament. He ran a dull campaign, promising to defend Austria's traditional neutrality and calling for a return to cosy corporatism.

Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, a 55-year-old career diplomat, was a more dynamic figure on the hustings but suffered from her lack of experience; and some conservative citizens would not vote for a woman. In the end, she garnered 47.6% of the vote, against 52.4% for Mr Fischer.

Her rival picked up the votes of anyone who abhors Mr Haider. In the final days, the race became a battle between the rightist government and the opposition of Social Democrats and Greens, with a bad outcome for Mr Schussel, who won a big election victory 18 months ago.

Mrs Ferrero-Waldner was his hand-picked candidate, and her defeat has caused the recent grumbling in his party over his autocratic leadership style to get louder. Another setback at the elections for the European Parliament in June, and the chancellor could face a full-scale revolt. As for Mr Haider, his best bet for a future role may be to stay in his Alpine redoubt, where porkers are appreciated.