New York, NY, October 4, 1999 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed concern over the results of the Austrian general elections, where nearly one in three voters endorsed the right-wing, xenophobic, anti-Europe Freedom Party of Dr. Joerg Haider.

"We are concerned that a polarizing party like the Freedom Party could garner even close to one-third of the popular vote. The vote has frightening implications for Austria’s political system and society," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "This is a party characterized by xenophobia, which relied on hate-filled rhetoric to win votes during an election campaign. We call on the coalition parties of the outgoing government to categorically deny Joerg Haider and his party a place in any new government coalition."

The election results, showing the Freedom Party, or FPO, with 27.2 percent of the vote, reflects a disturbing rise in popular support for Haider, according to ADL. Haider has a history of using Nazi terminology and legitimizing Hitler’s policies. His level of support is "particularly disturbing," said Foxman, "given the racist, xenophobic and hate-filled poster campaign of the Freedom Party during the election campaign. We are concerned that while Christian and Jewish religious communities and smaller opposition parties have universally condemned Haider’s platform of hate, the major voices, especially the Social Democrats and the People’s Party, have said virtually nothing in protest of his racist invective."

One disturbing incident reported to local officials in the city of Hainburg at the end of the campaign involved the smearing of a Star of David on an election poster of the Freedom Party. Below the graffiti was written, "Thank you, Joerg!"