Social Democrat To Become Austria's Next President

With 50 percent of the votes counted, Heinz Fischer, the candidate of the opposition Social Democrats, had close to 52 percent of electorate support. Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the conservative endorsed by Haider, had just over 48 percent.

Right-wing populist Jörg Haider's backing of Ferrero-Waldner and her rival's critical stance toward the Austrian rightist, whose appeal extends to the neo-Nazi fringe, added spice to an otherwise humdrum race for the mostly ceremonial position.

...

The Austrian president is commander in chief of country's tiny military, and the constitution gives the president the power to reject nominations for Cabinet ministers or even to remove them from office -- something that has rarely been done.

Still, with many Austrians believing the office of president is obsolete, the chancellor runs the country's day-to-day affairs.
...
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1433_A_1181334_1_A,00.html

Thank God. Hopefully the trend continues here.

The former Austrian President is a Social Democrat too.
The Chancellor(and his Government) is elected by the Parliament, not appointed by the President.

This was an important election for Austria, but the center/right(brown) Government has not lost power.

Fun fact: Schwarzenegger is a member in Austria's conservative party.

Thanks, I didn't know that.

enough is enough.

Is the Left rising again? I'm not holding my breath, but the trend is positive.... Now to run the Right out of Washington...

THE GUARDIAN , BERLIN
Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004,Page 6

Jorg Haider, Austria's populist rightwing firebrand, was left looking sheepish on Sunday after the candidate he endorsed for president slid to defeat.

What should have been a dull race for a symbolic job became a barometer of the popularity of Haider's Freedom Party after he threw his weight behind Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The Austrian foreign minister had hoped to become the country's first female president.

At one point in the campaign, Haider even presented his ally with a live pig, a symbol of good luck in German-speaking countries.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/04/27/2003138294