13. 10. 08. - 13:00

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13. 10. 08. - 13:00

Haider assistant Petzner elected new BZÖ leader

The BZÖ's executive committee elected BZÖ leader and Carinthian Governor Jörg Haider’s personal assistant Stefan Petzner as Haider’s successor as party leader on Sunday. Haider died in an automobile accident early Saturday morning.

Petzner, who had been Haider’s personal assistant for four years, succeeded Gerald Grosz as BZÖ general secretary in August and has been deputy party leader since 2006.

Petzner, who was born and grew up in Murau, Styria, said: "I often asked Jörg what we should do if he were gone at some point. He always replied: ‘In that case, you would have to continue working on what I built up.’"

Petzner said that the party’s main goal remained prevention of another SPÖ-ÖVP government. Surveys have shown that people’s dissatisfaction with the work of the "red-black coalition" was the main reason for more votes for right-wing parties FPÖ and BZÖ in the 28 September general election.

Petzner dismissed rumours of the possible reunification of the BZÖ and the FPÖ. The BZÖ was founded by Jörg Haider and some former FPÖ ministers in 2005. The two right-wing parties would become the strongest party in parliament if they reunited.

Austrian police announced on Sunday that Haider, 58, had been driving at 142 kilometres (88 miles) per hour - more than twice the speed limit – when he crashed and died in the early hours of Saturday morning. Haider's vehicle, a Volkswagen Phaeton V6, was new and in perfect condition.

Haider’s corpse has not tested for alcohol as that happens only if other people are involved in an accident.

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