Austrian rightist leader dies in car crash

KLAGENFURT, Austria, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Joerg Haider, a far-right Austrian politician whose party had made significant gains in last month's elections, has died in a car accident, officials said.

Police said Haider, 58, was driving alone in an official state car near Klagenfurt, Austria, when it went off the road early Saturday, CNN reported. Authorities said he had just passed another car when his vehicle careened off the road, hit a concrete post and rolled over several times.

The woman whom he had passed immediately called authorities and rescue teams were on the scene quickly, Johann Melischneg of the Carinthia state police told the broadcaster, adding that Haider was heading to his mother's 90th birthday party in Baerental, Austria, when the crash happened.

Haider, who repeatedly sparked controversy by expressing admiration for Nazi policies, headed the far-right BZO Party, which, along with his former allies in the larger Freedom Party, had staged impressive gains in recent parliamentary elections.

Haider began his political career with the Freedom Party and led it to into a coalition government with the conservative People's Party in 2000. The ascendancy of the rightist groups prompted international outrage and European sanctions, Radio Netherlands reported.