Austrian government to quit amid far right disarray

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel today called for early elections after resignations left a coalition partner, the far fight Freedom party, in disarray

The crisis was triggered by a serious conflict in the Freedom Party, which has split into two hostile camps supporting either Vice Chancellor Susanne Riess-Passer, the party chief, or controversial Joerg Haider, its previous leader.

In addition to Riess-Passer, who resigned both as vice chancellor and party leader, those leaving their government posts included Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser and Transport Minister Mathias Reichhold. Peter Westenthaler quit his job as the Freedom Party speaker in parliament.

The four said they resigned because of a dispute with Haider, the governor of Carinthia province known for past comments defending the Hitler era and for tirades against the EU and foreign leaders, including French President Jacques Chirac.

Chancellor Schuessel said he would ask the leadership of his centre-right People’s Party tomorrow to dissolve parliament at its next session on September 19 and hold elections “at the earliest possible date,” likely in late November or early December.

The next regularly scheduled parliamentary elections were set for September 2003.

However, Schuessel made clear that all ministers, including those who announced their resignation, would stay in office for the time being to keep vital government functions running.

He challenged the Freedom Party to make up its mind whether “to be in the government or in the opposition? Both things at the same time do not work,” he said.