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Far-Right Politician Admits Gay Affair
October 23, 2008 1:01 PM
BY PHILIP VICTOR, ABC News London
In a striking new revelation on Austrian Radio, Stefan Petzner, the successor to Austrian far-right leader Jörg Haider, admitted to having a gay affair with the deceased politician.
“He was the man of my life. Our relationship went far beyond friendship,” Petzner told ORF, the Austrian state radio.
Jörg Haider, who led the Alliance for the Future of Austria, was killed in a car accident Oct. 11 after reportedly leaving a gay nightclub.
According to Britain's Times, local papers in Austria reported that on the night of the accident, Haider and Petzner had an argument at a magazine launch party. The reports say that Haider hurriedly left and drove himself to a gay club in his hometown, where he drank vodka with male escorts. The reports describe Haider as hardly able to walk to his car when he left the club, according to the Times.
Following Petzner’s admissions of the affair and “special” relationship, the party demoted him to deputy under the new leader, Josef Buchner, a divorced father of two who is thought to be more conservative.
The Alliance for the Future of Austria, seeking to become once again relevant in Austrian politics, had won 11 percent of the vote in elections held shortly before Haider’s death.
Embarrassed by the revelations and hoping to limit the political fallout from Petzner’s candid remarks, party officials canceled upcoming interviews with the politicians. The party was unable, however, to prevent the rebroadcast of the radio interview, the UK Independent reported.
Haider’s politics, which were known for their anti-immigrant sentiments, were seen by many as pro-Nazi. “He famously praised the employment policies of Hitler’s Third Reich and insisted SS members were ‘decent people,’” the Times reported.
The UK Guardian reports that Haider had presented himself as a family man who drank sparingly, but an investigation of his car accident revealed that he had been driving at twice the speed limit and that his blood alcohol level was four times the legal limit.
Petzner dropped out of his university when he met Haider five years ago at a party, and his appointment as leader was seen to be Haider’s last wish, as he had publicly said on numerous occasions that “he would like his young protégé to take his place one day,” the Times reported.
Petzner did not hold back as he expressed his deep feelings for Haider in the state radio interview.
“I only had him. Now I am all alone. I would spend nights with him and his family and that was important for me because I often was afraid to be alone in the dark,” Petzner said.
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October 23, 2008 in Philip Victor | Permalink | User Comments (9)
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That is quite possibly the greatest, most hilarious thing I've ever read in my entire life. Thank you, Philip Victor.
Posted by: Rickman | Oct 23, 2008 1:17:36 PM
The louder they shout the anti-gay retoric, the more likely they are to be in the closet. At some point they aren't trying to convince you or me, they are trying to convince themselves.
Posted by: blakec | Oct 23, 2008 1:28:21 PM
Far-right conservatives are always espousing "do as I say, not as I do" politics -- wherever it is in the world. Same is true for the good ole USA. What hypocrisy when most of them think that government has a roll in our bedrooms only to find out that the practices they find to be the biggest, nastiest, wildest and most immoral are happening in their own bedrooms!
Posted by: jim in California | Oct 23, 2008 1:29:58 PM
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...
I always knew that skinheads were little grooming-obsessed fashion dandies, but this is just too hilarious.
Posted by: ElodieStClair | Oct 23, 2008 1:38:06 PM
Is McCain also a Haider in the closet? He has two male senators as proteges for a long time. ABC could verify that point for us. God save America from McSame.
Posted by: BKMC | Oct 23, 2008 1:46:02 PM
I think that people need to know the difference between pro-Nazi and conservative America. As an immigrant and conservative in America, I am for very SMALL government, lower taxes, free market, and individual freedom. We detest Nazism, which is national socialism, which seeks to be anti-immigrant, pro-government/police state, and high taxes. The only freedom anyone had was to attack anyone who's not of their preference. That's not what conservatism is all about. What happened to this late politician is too bad, and his legacy will be that he's a hypocrite. Let the cards fall where they may in Austria. So, please, don't confuse freedom with tyranny.
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Posted by: VETERAN | Oct 23, 2008 1:51:57 PM
hahahahahahahaha!
ROTFLMAO
Conservative.....riiigghhhhttt....
Posted by: Citizen in FL | Oct 23, 2008 3:03:54 PM
!!!!
Posted by: Wade | Oct 24, 2008 12:57:56 PM
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