Austrians risk suspension from group

Date: 10/02/2000

By Gareth Harding

The Austrian Conservative Party's future within the European Parliament's Christian Democrat group is hanging in the balance following its decision to enter into coalition with Jörg Haider's far-right Freedom Party.

French, Spanish and Belgian MEPs within the European People's Party will urge group leaders to suspend the seven Conservatives from the assembly's largest political force at a meeting today (10 February).

Spanish Christian Democrat and former Parliament President José María Gil-Robles told European Voice that the action was necessary to nip the danger posed by the party in the bud. "Haider's party is openly racist and once you let the genie of racism out of the bottle it is hard to put it back in again," he said.

However, UK, Italian and German Christian Democrats are opposed to the move, arguing that ostracising the Austrian Conservatives would be counterproductive and would play into the hands of the far-right.

"Most of the EPP share our view that the Austrian government should be judged on the basis of its actions and not on hasty prejudices," said Austrian Conservative MEP Ursula Stenzel.

European centre-right parties met in Madrid last weekend to condemn Haider's accession to power. Spurred on by Spanish Premier José Maria Aznar, they issued a declaration stating: "Discriminatory, racist or xenophobic attitudes have no place in the open Europe to which we aspire."

However, given the deep divisions in the party, some believe a vote on suspending the Conservatives will be left until an EPP summit next month.

Most Christian Democrats supported a Parliament resolution denouncing Haider's past pro-Nazi past remarks last week. MEPs said his inclusion in the government "legitimised the far-right in Europe". But the assembly stopped short of supporting moves to isolate Austria.

The Austrian Conservative Party's future within the European Parliament's Christian Democrat group is hanging in the balance following its decision to enter into coaliiton with Jörg Haider's far-right Freedom Party.