Austria faces isolation over far-right government

AUSTRIA, FEB 4: Austria's far-right Freedom Party was set to take office as part of a coalition, sparking immediate sanctions from its EU ...

AUSTRIA, FEB 4: Austria8217;s far-right Freedom Party was set to take office as part of a coalition, sparking immediate sanctions from its EU partners and Israel, and threats of similar steps by the US.

President Thomas Klestil has summoned conservative People8217;s Party leader Wolfgang Schuessel to be sworn in as chancellor at midday, after accepting he cannot ignore democracy despite opposing the far-right party. The announcement ended four months of political stalemate since October 3 elections in which Joerg Haider8217;s Freedom Party, Europe8217;s strongest far-right force, redrew Austria8217;s political map.

But the admission is expected to unleash a wave of international disapproval isolating the Alpine country like never before. Within hours of the announcement, both France and Portugal said they would be implementing threatened EU sanctions immediately, while Israel confirmed it would recall its ambassador in Vienna.

8220;What we will not accept are policies that threaten the intangible values of the EU,8221; saidAustrian EU Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler. 8220;We will not be satisfied with words alone.8221;

The United States has warned it could follow suit. Speaking before Klestil confirmed his plans, US State Department spokesman James Foley said that 8220;if this report is borne out 8230; our concerns, obviously, increase8221;. Haider is confident that the outcry will calm down.

Joerg Haider: Europe8217;s chameleon-like far-righter
Joerg Haider, whose Freedom Party is being sworn into government in Austria on Friday, is a colourful populist who has transformed his party from a minor faction to Europe8217;s most powerful extreme right wing force. Along the way he has demonstrated a remarkable ability for chameleon-like switches of image and opinion. The 50-year-old son of a former Nazi party official is best known abroad for controversial remarks apparently betraying pro-Nazi sentiments, including praising Hitler8217;s job policies.

But in a joint statement on Thursday with conservative chief Wolfgang Schuessel thecontroversial rightwinger stressed that Austria must face up to the 8220;light and dark sides8221; of its wartime past. An opponent of European enlargement, Haider in the statement also signed on to the 8220;European Union8217;s project for a broad, democratic and prosperous Europe8221;. After years of equivocation and obfuscation on his often controversial remarks, Haider apologised last November, following his Freedom Party8217;s October 3 poll success which redrew Austria8217;s political map.