By the time of the 2004 general election, he was well enough placed within the party to challenge Mr Papandreou after the Socialist defeat.

BBC: Profile: Greek Pasok leader Evangelos Venizelos

It is hard to see how Mr Erdogan's lot can be kept out of power in the longer run (a general election is due by April 2004 at the latest) unless parliament passed a bill to lower the threshold to let other parties in.

ECONOMIST: Turkey's drifting government: What next? | The

None of this rules out a bid by Mr Haider for the chancellorship at the next general election, due by 2004.

ECONOMIST: Austria