2008 Austrian legislative election putting more emphasis on economic liberalism as well as social liberalism. BZÖ leader and Carinthian governor Jörg Haider died in a car accident in Köttmannsdorf near Klagenfurt in the state of Carinthia in the early hours of 11 October 2008. Police reported that the Volkswagen Phaeton that Haider had been driving came off the road, rolled down an embankment and overturned, causing him "severe head and chest injuries". Haider, who was on his way to a family gathering in honour of his mother's 90th birthday, was alone in the government car and no other vehicles were involved. An initial investigation
2008 Austrian legislative election uncovered no signs of foul play, but police stated Haider was going at 142 km/h, more than double the 70 km/h allowed at the location of the accident, and it later emerged that Haider had had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.18 per cent. Countless leading Austrian politicians and former politicians from all parties expressed their condolences. Deputy governor Gerhard Dörfler (also from the BZÖ) took over as acting governor of Carinthia and was then nominated to become governor in his own right on 13 October 2008, while BZÖ general-secretary Stefan Petzner was selected as interim BZÖ leader on 12