How do you explain the Freedom Party’s success in the recent elections? I think the main reason is that the Austrian political system needs a change. Since the end of the second world war, we have had two predominant parties, which carved up all the power in Austria. We promised to reduce the influence of the ruling parties.
What does your party platform say about foreigners in Austria? This issue first came up in 1989. The Iron Curtain came down and a lot of people from Eastern Europe tried to come to Austria, to settle there. We also had a lot of refugees, particularly from the former Yugoslavia. Therefore, we said you have to make a distinction. Our first priority has to be the refugees. And if we accept refugees, we have to reduce immigration. We believe you can accept immigration to the extent that you can provide housing, schools and jobs for the people who come to us. Austria has 7 million Austrians and about 1 million foreigners.
Would you call yourself a nationalist? No, I wouldn’t. I would describe myself as a patriot, an Austrian patriot.
Comments you’ve made in the past, about the economic success of the Third Reich, for instance, fuel mistrust for your party. You are right. Sometimes comments on my part have led to a misunderstanding.
Do you regret making them? Some statements have hurt people. And therefore, I regret having made them.
Do you still have any admiration for the Third Reich? No. Not at all. Because I would have been in prison in that period, because I am fighting for the freedom of the people.
Do you feel any need to restrain your expressions of national pride because of Austria’s relationship with the Third Reich? The patriotism we have is for a new Austria, which was reconstructed after the end of the World War II.
Who do you believe are the century’s worst political criminals. Hitler and Stalin.
You once said Churchill. That was a misunderstanding.
You evoke a very emotional response in people. How does that make you feel? I cannot understand it, because I have served 20 years in Austria, in different political functions. And in all functions, I did a good job, and this is the reason why the people support [my party].
Which politicians in Europe do you admire? No politicians.
You are often compared to [right-wing] French politician Jean Marie Le Pen. I cannot find any similarity with him. We discuss immigration policy, and he discusses immigration policy. But he is a racist. His solutions are racist; he has a racist background. We don’t discriminate against ethnic minorities. We don’t say, for instance, the Jews cannot come to Austria but the Bosnians can come, or something.
