The World Jewish Congress voiced serious concerns on Sunday about the strong showing of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) in Austria’s parliamentary election.
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, who was the United States ambassador to Austria from 1986 to 1987, declared, “It is sad and distressing that such a platform should receive more than a quarter of the vote and become the country’s second party. It is still full of xenophobes and racists and is, mildly put, very ambiguous toward Austria’s Nazi past. My only hope is that they won’t end up in government.” Lauder congratulated Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, the leader of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), on placing first in the polls.