Incumbent president Heinz Fischer has been accused of shouting "Sieg Heil!" during a parliamentary debate in December 1989. Reports from (Thurs) say that Fischer – back then the Social Democrats’ (SPÖ) whip – shouted the Nazi salute at the end of a speech by Freedom Party (FPÖ) MP Siegfried Dillersberger. A spokeswoman for the president – who took office in 2004 and announced his decision to run for a second term last November – said Fischer commented on the MP’s speech by saying "That’s almost a ‘Sieg Heil mentality’!" She claimed Fischer was unable to remember exactly what he said, adding that the statement was recorded incorrectly by the meeting’s protocol. Stefan Bachleitner, the head of the left-winger’s election campaign team, said: "It doesn’t surprise me such allegations come up now, a few days ahead of the election." Fischer had around 75 per cent of the vote in polls before the "Sieg Heil" accusations emerged. It has been Barbara Rosenkranz, the FPÖ’s candidate for president, who caused public outcry with several statements regarding Austria’s Nazi past. Rosenkranz – whose husband publishes a far-right news magazine – tried to calm the debate. She declared under oath that she had never doubted the existence of gas chambers at concentration camps as is claimed. Rosenkranz has between 10 and 15 per cent in polls, while political analysts warn of a record-low participation. Rudolf Gehring, the third candidate in the 25 April election, has meanwhile been confronted with harsh criticism after launching his presidential election campaign at a Viennese church. Viennese vicar general Franz Schuster wrote to the city’s parishes today saying he "condemns any instrumentalisation of the Church for political purposes." Schuster added: "Party politics have no place in the Church." Gehring, head of the non-parliament Austrian Christians Party (CPÖ), marks the start of his election campaign at a church in Vienna-Döbling Tuesday evening. Around 30 supporters gathered at the St. Paul parish to celebrate a mass with the real estate manager. Analysts said Gehring – who opposes euthanasia and abortion – did not stand a chance of winning more than five per cent support in the 25 April election.
Austrian Times
