The leader of Austria�s Jewish community has appealed to an EU Parliament member to drop his re-election campaign after comparing the European Union to Nazi Germany.

Andreas M�zler, a candidate from Austria�s right-wing Freedom Party was quoted as saying the Third Reich did not have as many rules, regulations and bans and that it looked more �informal and liberal� than the EU during a gathering last month in Vienna.

Austrian Jewish leader Oskar Deutsche said the politician was unable to grasp the fact proponents of extreme-right thought shared responsibility for Nazi crimes.

Recent opinion polls show the Freedom Party is expected to do well in this May�s European Parliamentary elections. The prediction is consistent with other right-wing political parties across Europe who have also made gains recentlydue to disillusion among voters on issues including the economy and immigration.

(Source: JN1)