Career
He prefers to call himself just "The Human Context" Strache. In 2004, he replaced Hilmar Kabas as the leader of the Vienna Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Freedom Party of Austria). After a series of losses in state elections, rumours spread that Strache would run for the office of national party leader against Haider"s sister, Ursula Haubner.
The high risk of Haubner"s defeat was probably one of the events that induced Haider to set up a new party, the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ).
After the split, Strache was elected national party leader of the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Freedom Party of Austria) on 23 April 2005. Since the split, the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Freedom Party of Austria)"s results in state elections have been mixed.
While it dropped out of the Styria Landtag and was reduced to 5.7% in Burgenland, it surpassed expectations in the Vienna elections of October 2005. Strache himself was the leading candidate in Vienna, and the party received 14.9% of votes.
Strache"s campaign, included slogans such as:
Wien darf nicht Istanbul werden (Vienna must not become Istanbul).
A variation on an Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (Freedom Party of Austria) slogan from the Haider era: Wien darf nicht Chicago werden. Deutsch statt "nix verstehen" (German, not "no understand")
Pummerin statt Muezzin (Pummerin, not muezzin). Pummerin is the main bell in Saint Stephan"s Cathedral in Vienna, and so a religious Christian symbol in Vienna.
Heimat im Herzen (homeland at heart)
Arbeit statt Zuwanderung (jobs, not immigration)
In the 2010 Vienna elections for mayor, city council, and district councils, Strache"s party received 26% of the vote and increased their number of seats in the city council to 27.
His support was strongest among young people under 30. The campaign included slogans such as:
Zu viel Fremdes tut niemandem gut.
(Too many foreigners does no one good)
Wir bewahren unsere Heimatstadt. Die Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) macht sie uns fremd.
(We maintain our homeland The Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) makes it foreign)
Wir glauben an unsere Jugend.
Die Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) an Zuwanderung. (We believe in our youth The Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) in immigration)
Wir schützen freie Frauen. Die Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) den Kopftuchzwang (We protect free women The Sozialistische Partei Österreichs (Socialist Party of Austria) protects the compulsory veil)
Mehr Mut für unser Wiener Blut (More strength for our Viennese blood)
Uns, geht"s um die Wiener (To us, it"s about the Viennese)
Strache was once again accused of xenophobia during his campaign and responded formally in the press to the allegations.