Main political parties in Austria oppose Turkey joining the EU

Turkey's membership bid is being hotly debated in Austria in
the run-up to the EP elections on June 13. Eighty two per cent of
the Austrian population is hostile to the idea of full Turkish
membership, according to a recent SORA-poll. What is more, the
message coming from all major political parties is not in Ankara's
favour.

Social Democrats' (SPÖ) leader Alfred Gusenbauer
told the newspaper Kurier that "Turkey is not ready for the EU and
the EU is not ready for Turkey." He denies that this stance has to
do with religious aspects, he thinks that it would be
"unresponsible" and "dangerous" for the EU to go ahead with another
enlargement before the EU has consolidated itself after taking in
ten new countries.

Ursula Stenzel, who heads the list of the ruling
Conservative Party (ÖVP) of chancellor Wolfgang Schlüssel in the EP
elections, is in favour of "better relations" but not membership.
Hans Kronberger of the far right party (FPÖ) has demanded a stop to
the negotiations towards possible membership, which he likens to
the sinking of the Titanic. Johannes Voggenhuber of the Green party
prefers the EU to give first priority to preparing the future
membership of the Balkan nations.

The atmosphere of the debate in Austria, which
has an estimated Moslem population of 300,000, the majority of
Turkish origin, has been fuelled by controversial remarks by the
Bishop of Sankt Pölten, Kurt Krenn, who warned against an
'islamisation' of Europe. He has called islam a "very agressive
kind of religion" that will not easily allow for the political
unity with the Christian faith.

Non-assigned links

• Commission:DG Enlargement: Relations with Turkey
• Ministry of Foreign affairs, Turkey
• Council of Europe press release:Council of Europe parliamentary committee recommends ending monitoring of Turkey(3 March 2004)
• Press articles:Die Presse, Der Standard Der Standard Kurier