CDU/CSU mooted by Austian far-right

The recent death of far-right populist leader Jorg Haider may result in the reunification of Austria's far-right, perhaps under the CDU/CSU model. Haider who faced many accusations of anti-semitism, xenophobia and having Nazi sympathies, has left his newly formed Alliance for the Future of Austria in an interesting position.

After an incredibly successful election in which they took 522,933 votes and 10.70% of the national vote, they now find themselves without their charismatic leader and with little support outside of the province which he governed (Carinthia). If they continue on their own, they may find themselves with little to differentiate themselves from the larger FPO (other than a slightly less establishment platform) and without Haider their only major figure they may struggle to survive.

With Haider gone the main dividing factor between the FPO and the Alliance for the Future of Austria has been removed. Resultantly many are talking about a potential merger that would create Austria's second biggest party, just two seats short of being the largest in the national council. Interestingly they are considering adopting the CDU / CSU model used in Germany, that has been touted by some as the path which the UUP and Tory's should go down. If the unification does go ahead Austrian politics will find itself in a new and unwelcome position, where the far right will most likely at some point re-enter government.

Stunning failure of judgement

I find it difficult to disagree with William Hague today as he lambasted the Prime Ministers ' stunning error of judgement' in appointing Mandelson back to the cabinet. Brown has faced condemnation both from within his party and outside I particularly liked the quote from Nick Clegg's chief of staff Danny Alexander - "Resurrecting ex-ministers from the political graveyard is not going to breathe new life into Gordon Brown's zombie government."

Scandal prone Mandelson must be leaving Labour spin doctors shaking as they wonder what will force him to resign this time, will it be financial, immigration related or something similar to the 2004 scandal. Mandelson appears to have been appointed as a ploy to unite Blairites behind Brown, siphoning off governmental posts to placate your rivals is not a good way to run a country. It is high time that Labour stopped the quarreling within their party between the Blairites, Brownites and left so that the government may focus on the nations not inconsiderable problems.

Biden - Palin debate

Despite quite low expectations Sarah Palin appears to have done well in tonight's Vice Presidential debate (which I just watched). Among other issues the candidates clashed on the Iraq War and the economy, with Palin in my opinion coming out top on the war and Biden on the economy, on the issue of climate change which many believed was a problem for Palin she did well. Palin seemed to play towards independents who are generally not keen on her for instance she firmly stated that both human activities and climatic cycles had an input into climate change. With the Palin bounce seeming to have faded we will soon know whether her performance tonight has been enough for the McCain campaign to regain the momentum. Biden gave an assured performance and showed his experience, he seemed to be quite successful in linking the McCain campaign and the Bush administration.