EU moves to isolate Austria following swearing in of right-wing coalition

The European Union has moved to isolate Austria, following the swearing in of a government coalition including the far-right Freedom Party. The leader of the People's Party, Wolfgang Schuessel, has been sworn in as Austria's first conservative chancellor for 30 years. He is now the head of a centre-right coalition government that includes the far-right Freedom Party.

The Freedom Party is led by Joerg Haider, whose hardline opposition to immigration and enlargement of the EU, and his praise for some of Adolf Hitler's policies, have stirred protests. The Freedom Party's leader, Joerg Haider, does not have a cabinet post, but his party colleagues form half the government, including the Justice Ministry and other key ministries.

As President Thomas Klestil carried out the swearing in ceremony in Vienna's Hofburg palace, protesters scuffled with police outside. Police baton-charged demonstrators shouting "Haider is a fascist" and holding up placards reading "Haider's Austria is not my Austria". 25 policemen and one demonstrator were hurt. The fighting continued into the night, with the demonstrators using smoke-bombs and hurling paving-stones at the police, who responded with water-cannon.

In an unprecedented move, Portugal, the current EU president, said that member governments would cut bilateral political ties with Vienna. Israel has recalled its ambassador. The German Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer, said developments in Austria filled Europe with concern. He said forces hostile to foreigners were now part of the Austrian Government. The German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping said that he hoped for a reversal soon of what he called the "historic mistake" of including the Freedom Party into government. The Belgian Defence Ministry said that it is cancelling an order for six armoured ambulances from an Austrian firm in protest.

The United States has ordered its ambassador to Austria to return home for consultations. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said the United States would see whether further action was necessary to advance what she called US support for democratic values. Israel has withdrawn its ambassador. In its first official reaction, the Russian Foreign Ministry Russia urged Austria's new government not to take measures that could destabilise Europe.