20. 07. 10. - 12:00

FPÖ mutiny rumours as 400 members don't pay up

The right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) faces a financial bottleneck after hundreds of party members failed to pay their 2009 membership fees.

Gerald Hauser, head of the FPÖ’s Tyrol department, said today (Tues) around 400 members – including former federal FPÖ deputy whip Gilbert Trattner – had not transferred the contribution yet.

Asked for the allegedly estranged members’ intentions, Hauser only said: "Ask them, not me."

The Tyrolean FPÖ boss denied claims a mutiny was ahead.

News of unpaid membership fees come after two high-profile party officials were expelled. FPÖ Innsbruck Councillor Christian Haager and provincial parliament member Walter Gatt had "harmed the FPÖ’s reputation", said a spokesman.

They were accused of questioning Hauser’s authority while he suffered from a serious but undisclosed illness.

David Nagiller, a member of Tyrolean FPÖ MP Carmen Gartelgruber’s team, was suspended as well.

A "make or break" autumn is ahead for Heinz-Christian Strache’s party.

The FPÖ is expected to improve in the provincial elections of Styria (26 September) and Vienna (10 October) after garnering just 4.6 per cent and 14.8 per cent respectively five years ago.

Analysts however warned Strache’s reputation was at risk by his "one-dimensional politics" focusing on crime and immigration issues.

The party chief declared he wanted to become mayor of Vienna despite having no chance of coming first in the city.

The Social Democrats (SPÖ) are expected to cooperate with the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) if they lose their absolute majority. The Greens are also seen as potential partners, while SPÖ and ÖVP are unlikely to team up with the FPÖ.

Strache was criticised for sponsoring a friendly between Viennese club SC Columbia Floridsdorf and German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund (0-4) last weekend. Many fans and political rivals said sports and politics should not be merged in such a way.

FPÖ suffered a bad start to the year as MP Barbara Rosenkranz won just 15 per cent in the presidential election in April. Incumbent President Heinz Fischer won almost 80 per cent of the vote.

Strache said ahead of the ballot he saw a potential of 35 per cent for Rosenkranz. Columnists claimed his ambitious prediction rather harmed than helped the ultra-conservative candidate’s bid.

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