Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-03-Speech-4-096"
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"en.20000203.2.4-096"2
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"I have just voted against the motion for a resolution on the situation in Austria in view of a possible government being formed between the ÖVP and the FPÖ.
I consider the casting of Jörg Haider as “Europe's scapegoat” (or even worse, neo-Nazi and Super Racist) to be counterproductive. Of course I, in no way, agree with the publicised statements of this right-wing populist and fully condemn xenophobia and any downplaying of the Hitler regime. However, I fear that a purely emotional reaction by Europe to the events in Austria will only multiply Haider's adherents. The EU must not do him an invaluable PR service.
The strength of the FPÖ can be traced back to the weakness of the previous government and in this the Austrian socialists must bear the main responsibility. It was only after they unsuccessfully solicited the FPÖ to tolerate a minority government and, obviously in vain, offered the Freedom Party ministerial posts, that the SPÖ begin its massive campaign against Haider. It turned its threatened loss of power into an “heroic battle for the preservation of values” and an imminent, pure-and-simple “decision between democracy and non-democracy”. This is a smear on the voters in my neighbouring country which I cannot condone.
We German Christian Democrats used another strategy in the battle against extremists and clearly disassociated ourselves from them. We revealed the hollowness of the republicans who were nationalistic, xenophobic and anti-minority. Today the republicans are no longer represented in most local parliaments.
The German approach is no guarantee that this radical movement will not grow again. It cannot be copied arbitrarily since each Member State has its own specific conditions. The ÖVP (Austrian People's Party), whose presence at European level we have also come to take for granted, is daring to attempt a coalition for the sake of governability in Austria. It can only succeed if agreements are made which are solidly based on compliance with democratic principles.
The Council has become prematurely involved without waiting for the results of the coalition negotiations or a programme of government. This condemnation is as unacceptable as the threatened breaking off of official contacts with the Austrian Republic.
Sound democracy means being alert and not blind in one eye. We must take up a reasoned offensive against radicals on both the right and the left. I would have liked to see the same outrage in Europe when the socialists were prepared to make common cause with the successors to the misanthropic and persecutory regime in the DDR. In the meantime, they have been forming governments in German federal states. I fully support the statements made by Commissioner Prodi in today's session. He spoke of the task of not isolating Member States but of doing everything to unite them in common European values."@en1
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