VIENNA — The European Union's racism watchdog said on Friday that the inclusion of Joerg Haider's far-right Freedom Party in Austria's new government set a dangerous precedent for Europe.
The coalition between the far-right Freedom Party and the conservative People's Party was sworn in by President Thomas Klestil on Friday.
"The coalition includes a political party which has campaigned actively on a ticket of exclusion and fear," the Vienna-based European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) said in a statement.
"Exclusion of members of ethnic, cultural and religious minority groups and its fear of foreigners are an essential part of its politics," it said.
EUMC said the coalition "sets a dangerous precedent for the European Union."
The Freedom Party's campaign for the October 3 election included anti-immigrant slogans such as banners warning against "overpopulation by foreigners."
Haider signed a declaration on Thursday designed to assuage fears in Europe about racism influencing Austrian government policies.
The document, also signed by conservative Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel as a prelude to the coalition pact, centred on a commitment to human rights and European values.
But Austrian EUMC board member, political scientist Anton Pelinka, told journalists it was necessary to be wary of the Freedom Party's apparent new stance.
"The moment Haider signed the declaration, he proposed as defence minister Hilmar Kabas, a man responsible for the most xenophobic election campaign of recent years," Pelinka said.
Kabas, who led the far-right election campaign in Vienna, was rejected for the post late on Thursday by Klestil.