28 September 2010
The former leader of the Styrian branch of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), Leopold Schöggl, has called the anti-Islam strategy used by the FPÖ as “not decisive” for the FPÖ’s success in the recent Styrian elections. In Schöggl’s opinion, it was especially federal-level politics which led to a backlash against the main parties, as well as large numbers of votes from neglected youth and a return of protest votes from the Communist party. According to Schöggl, though the anti-Islam rhetoric was not the main factor, he nevertheless admitted that it was a cunning election strategy.
