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The inauguration of the OVP-FPO government follows growing tension over minorities in Austria, where foreigners make up a tenth of the population, and 18 percent of the 1.6 million inhabitants of the capital, Vienna.

In November the chairman of Austria's Jewish Religious Council, Ariel Muzicant, said on national television that anti-immigrant campaigning by Haider had triggered 80 attacks on Jews and a tenfold increase in threatening letters since the 3 October election.

However, several foreign commentators have criticised the Austrian churches' stance, including Le Monde newspaper in Paris, whose religion writer compared the "timidity" of Roman Catholic leaders to the silence of church officials in pre-war Nazi Germany.

Erich Leichtenberger said Le Monde's comments had been a "clear case of uninformed journalism". He added that Cardinal Schonborn had issued numerous statements against racism and "anti-immigrant propaganda".

"For over 50 years, Austria's bishops have followed the practice of not interfering in party politics or the formation of governments", the Vienna archdiocese spokesman said. "But the church has repeatedly criticised FPO attitudes which conflict with the Christian viewpoint. It's closely observing what the new government is doing, and will be very outspoken if any human rights violations occur."

He added that it was also working to calm the "angry reactions against the rest of Europe" caused by EU sanctions. "The church cannot determine people's political decisions anywhere in the world - it can only try to educate their consciences."

"Racism has become a central issue in other European countries too, and this is a challenge for all Christian churches. But Austria has been governed for almost four decades by the same two parties, who colonised public life and controlled all positions. If Europeans have trouble understanding why so many people voted for the so-called Freedom Party, they should remember this was largely a protest rather than an expression of racist opinions."

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February (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44