Haider turns down party leadership

The controversial Austrian politician, Joerg Haider, has turned down an offer to resume the leadership of the far-right Freedom Party.

The surprise announcement came just three days after Mr Haider - who led the party until the year 2000 - was nominated for the position.

He said the party wouldn't accept the policies he wanted to introduce, and that the Freedom Party ministers now had the possibility of imposing their line on the party.

The far-right group has been in increasing turmoil since its leading ministers resigned from coalition government last week, after a bitter row with Mr Haider.

The resignations led to the fall of the Austtrian Government.

New elections are expected to be held later this year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service