Sir, - The hyperbolic reaction across Europe to the Freedom Party's entry into government in Austria has been quite preposterous.
That Jorg Haider and his party have often exploited issues such as immigration to capitalise on racist and xenophobic tendencies is not disputed. However, comparisons with the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s and rhetoric about the "spectre of fascism" hanging over Europe once again are absurd.
Any reasonable analysis of the Freedom Party's policy agenda would suggest that Mr Haider and his colleagues would not feel unduly out of place within, say, the British Conservative Party or the US Republican Party. Indeed, on certain issues such as the death penalty, Haider would probably be to the left of many members of those parties.
As for immigration, the Freedom Party would probably be satisfied with bringing Austrian law into line with that of Ireland or the UK, for example. It is also the case that the recent surge in support for the party has coincided with a watering down of the more unsavoury elements in its political platform.
All of this suggests that something else is fuelling the hysterical reaction to the formation of the new government in Vienna. The truth is that Jorg Haider is something of a Godsend for Europe's bedraggled political elites at a time when the traditional values and institutions that held Western societies together are unravelling, when political leaders are held in low esteem and are groping around for an identity for their political parties and for some basic values that can serve as a kind of social cement for their societies. Jorg Haider can fulfil the same purpose as Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein: the stage baddie who makes those in authority in the West look good by comparison.
Political leaders and opinion formers across Europe may be unable to create a consensus on what is right and wrong on issues ranging from abortion to GM foods; but at least all decent citizens can agree upon the liberal values of anti-racism and antifascism. How comforting and reassuring. - Yours, etc., Damian Byrne,
Belvedere Place, Dublin 1.