Sir, - In a democracy the people get the government they deserve. To deny this principle is to disengage from the democratic process. The EU governments are correct, and within their rights, to raise their concerns about Austria's Freedom Party, but it is up to the people of Austria and their leaders to provide viable alternatives to this populist party with its sinister past.
"Constructive engagement" is a term we have often heard with respect to Sinn Fein. If Mr Haider is not engaged in the same way it will play into his hands and allow him to portray himself as the victim of an international plot to keep Austria down. To ostracise a party with 27 per cent of the mandate of one of the wealthiest countries in the EU is to answer the prayers of neo-Nazi party leaders all over Europe, especially in the east. If they are allowed to portray the EU as an organisation that does not recognise democratically elected parties it will do untold damage to the accession process that is so critical to the future stability of Europe. Adolf Hitler was democratically elected, and that did not make him respect the rule of law. But that was then and this is now. The question is: after all the mistakes of the past century, are we strong enough and mature enough to accommodate such parties and in doing so to ensure that they do not destabilise Europe again ? - Yours, etc.,
Ed French, Leopardstown Road, Dublin 18.