Communist Web Wednesday 8th March 2000 9.30pm gmt Europe-wide demonstrations against Haidar The resignation of neo-fascist Jorg Haider from the leadership of Austria's far-right Freedom Party has no one fooled in Austria or the rest of Europe. The move is widely seen as a tactical manoeuvre designed to take the heat off the Freedom Party and the right-wing coalition government of which it is part. Belgium's Foreign Minister, Louis Michel, described Haider's resignation as "doubtlessly a ploy to mollify Western capitals" and said that Haider "obviously remains in his party and continues to call the shots". There is speculation that Haider will now concentrate on consolidating his position as governor of the southern province of Carinthia in preparation for a concerted assault on the position of Chancellor at the next elections. The opposition among foreign governments, notably in the EU, to the Freedom Party's inclusion in the Austrian Government on February 4 has been fuelled by expressions of popular outrage in Austria and across Europe. As soon as the news of the new coalition was announced, some 300,000 protesters packed Vienna's Heldenplatz (Hero's Square) outside the Hofburg Palace, despite cold and rain, to oppose it. They called for the resignation of Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel of the conservative People's Party and his new government. The actions have continued, bringing together opposition parties, human rights groups, trade unionists, artists, pensioners and many others. Jewish community leader Ariel Muzicant who said: "It is a scandal that racism and anti-Semitism have once again become harmless crimes. It is a scandal that these crimes have been legitimised by the People's Party." The European Union (EU), US and other nations such as Israel have registered a range of actions from disapproval to outright condemnation of Austria's Government. Austrian delegates were publicly shunned at the recent meeting of EU Defence... http://www.billkath.demon.co.uk/cw/eur/eur.html
