Austrian Freedom Party
Martin Lee (Opinion, Sept. 21) wrongly lumps the Austrian Freedom Party into what he calls “a multifaceted neo-fascist revival” in Europe. He suggests that any political party he has identified “touched a raw nerve by deceptively linking jobless statistics to the number of guest workers and asylum seekers in their countries.”
Austria is not large enough to absorb large numbers of new people. At a time when Austria’s unemployment rate was already 7%, AFP Chairman Joerg Haider called for restrictions on immigration until the rate could be reduced. He also said he favored complete integration into Austrian society for those immigrants who did come in.
The AFP calls for dismantling the patronage system that has been built up over decades by the two ruling parties. It calls for an end to Europe’s last state monopoly of radio and television and to press subsidies (and the self-censorship they promote). The party favors a growth-oriented tax policy, with reduced income tax rates. It favors direct election of provincial governors and mayors and privatization of underperforming state enterprises. Since 1990, it has supported Austrian membership in NATO.
This is the program of a party that believes in broad-based representative democracy and free markets--the antithesis of fascism.
HEATHER LAWRENCE
Freedom Party of Austria
Washington
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