'We Had a Special Relationship That Went Far Beyond Friendship'

Aww, Nazis in love. Isn't that sweet?

The new leader of the party previously headed by Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider has admitted the two men had a "special relationship".

Stefan Petzner told Austrian radio that Mr Haider, whom he met five years ago, was "the man of my life".

Mr Haider, 58, died in a high-speed car crash earlier this month. He had a high blood alcohol level.

His party, the Alliance for Austria's Future, insisted on Thursday that Mr Petzner "wasn't his lover".

"He was a very good friend, it wasn't love," party spokesman Heimo Lepuschitz told the BBC, commenting on Mr Petzner's remarks.

The Alliance for Austria's Future is best known for taking a tough line on immigration and EU policies.

Mr Petzner took over as head of the party following his leader's sudden death.

Mr Haider had said frequently that he would like his 27-year-old protege, and party deputy to take his place one day.

But Mr Petzner, while remaining overall party leader, is now deputy to hotelier Josef Bucher in the party's parliamentary group.

The party spokesman said Mr Petzner had not been criticised in the party for his comments and that it was Mr Petzner's suggestion to put Mr Bucher in charge of the parliamentary group.

Mr Petzner "will look after strategy as head of the party," Mr Lepuschitz told the BBC.

It has been widely reported in Austria that on the night of his death, Mr Haider left a bar where he had been drinking with Mr Petzner after they had argued.

Mr Petzner has described feeling a magnetic attraction to Mr Haider.

"We had a special relationship that went far beyond friendship," Mr Petzner said in an emotional interview on Austrian national radio.

"Joerg and I were connected by something truly special. He was the man of my life," he added. "I loved him as a best friend."

There has been no comment from the Haider family. He was married with two children.

Joerg Haider Has Met His Maker

I'll bet that a damned interesting conversation was had and that Haider was none too happy about the substance -- or outcome. None too happy at all.

Police say Austrian rightist Haider dead at 58

Austrian politician Joerg Haider, whose far-right rhetoric at times cast a negative light on the Alpine republic, has died in a car accident at age 58.

Carinthian province police official Friedrich Hrast said the accident happened early Saturday in the south of the country when Haider's car veered off the road near the city of Klagenfurt and overturned while trying to overtake another car. He said Haider suffered severe injuries to his head and chest and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Haider was alone in the car at the time of the accident.

Haider, who was born Jan. 26, 1950 in Upper Austria, was governor of the province of Carinthia and leader of the far-right Alliance for the Future of Austria at the time of his death.

"For us, it's like the end of the world," Haider's spokesman, Stefan Petzner, told the Austria Press Agency.

Austrian President Heinz Fischer described Haider's death as a "human tragedy."

Read the complete article

Haider: Ban Mosque-Building

Expect plenty of seething to follow.

By the way, why is it always "rightwingers" who are considered "firebrands"?

Arent't there any leftwing firebrands?

Austria's Haider says to ban mosque-building

Austrian right-wing firebrand Joerg Haider said on Monday he plans to change building laws to prevent mosques and minarets being erected in his home province of Carinthia.

Haider, Carinthia's governor, said he would ask its parliament to amend the building code to would require towns and villages to consider "religious and cultural tradition" when dealing with construction requests.

"We don't want a clash of cultures and we don't want institutions which are alien to our culture being erected in Western Europe," Haider said in a statement.

Oooh, those are fighting words. How insensitive of him, wanting to actually preserve his own culture.

"Muslims have of course the right to practice their religion, but I oppose erecting mosques and minarets as centers to advertise the power of Islam," he said.

His spokesman, Stefan Petzner, said that there were no plans to restrict Muslim prayer rooms, as this would violate Muslims' human rights, and the planned change applied only to dedicated mosques and minarets.

Muslims in Europe are meeting increasing resistance to plans for mosques that befit Islam's status as the continent's second religion after Christianity, with petitions in London, protests in Cologne, a court case in Marseille and violence in Berlin.

However, while all those places have significant Muslim minorities, Haider's Carinthia has the second lowest share of Muslim citizens of all Austrian provinces -- 11,000 out of a population of around 400,000, a Muslim spokesman said.

"It's a ridiculous statement to say he fears a clash of civilizations (in Carinthia)," said Omar al-Rawi, a centre-left lawmaker who is spokesman for the Austrian Muslims' Initiative.

I guess if you're "centre-left," you don't qualify for firebrand status.

"We don't know of any mosque plans there. His move is meaningless, populist, racist and anti-Islamic," he added.

You forgot "Islamophobic," Omar.

Whatever the case, Haider isn't exactly the best spokesman to come out with this, considering his history. Especially this part:

Despite his rhetoric against Islam at home, Haider also praises himself for his close ties to Muslim leaders including Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, whom he calls a personal friend.