Government falls apart

last updated 8 January 2015

Vienna

Austria’s governing coalition collapsed this week, after three ministers from the far-right Freedom Party resigned over a power struggle within their party. The charismatic and controversial Jörg Haider, the party’s former leader, led a revolt against the current party leadership over tax cuts. He supports the cuts, while the current leaders oppose them on the grounds that Austria faces huge bills from this summer’s extensive flood damage. When much of the party sided with Haider, the ministers decided they had to step down. Elections for a new parliament will be held in November, and Haider—who withdrew from party leadership last year following criticism of his professed admiration for Hitler—might return to national politics.