-Caveat Lector- Rightist Party Gains in Austria Vote By GEORGE JAHN .c The Associated Press VIENNA, Austria (AP) - A rightist party led by a man notorious for past praise of the Hitler regime registered big gains in Sunday's regional voting - a closely watched ballot because it fell just two weeks before Austria's national elections. Joerg Haider's Freedom Party increased its popularity by more than a third in voting for parliament in Vorarlberg, Austria's westernmost province, according to preliminary results after polls closed. It shot up to more than 27 percent, from 18 percent in the last Vorarlberg vote five years ago, the results showed. The other major parties - the Socialists and the conservative People's Party - both slipped. The Socialists lost almost four percentage points to end up with just over 46 percent, and the People's Party fell from 16 to 13 percent. The results were further indication that the Freedom Party could do well in the Oct. 3 elections for federal parliament. The Socialists and People's Party form a governing coalition on the national level. But the last federal elections in 1995 left the Freedom Party nearly even with the People's Party, Austria's No. 2 political force. If Haider's party overtakes the People's Party next month, he is expected to push to become part of the next government through a coalition with one of the other main parties. The Freedom Party has been making gains for more than a decade under the leadership of Haider, 49, the governor of Carinthia province. Haider's popularity rests on anti-foreigner rhetoric, flashes of pro-Nazi sentiment and flamboyant revelations of corruption in other parties. He has also used keen political judgment to attract voters who do not share his views - recruiting leading personalities from sports and industry who do not publicly espouse the rightist sentiments of his old-time party colleagues. Haider has moved away from past praise of Hitler's ``decent employment policies'' and descriptions of the Nazi dictator's black-uniformed Waffen SS troops as ``men of character.'' Still, his party exploits Austrian suspicions of foreigners. In Vienna, Freedom Party posters promise to stop ``overforeignization'' and ``misuse of asylum'' - both buzzwords for a compete stop to immigration in a country some residents fear is being inundated by cheap workers, crooks and other undesirables from Eastern Europe. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
