A petition launched by the far-right party FPOe in Austria against the European Union and Turkey's adhesion to the block will now be debated in parliament after receiving support from 4.28 percent of the electorate.

The "Austria, stay free" petition, which was launched on March 6 and closed late Monday, gathered 258,277 signatures, the Interior Ministry said.

While political opponents called it a flop, FPOe leader Heinz-Christian Strache -- successor and young rival of Jorg Haider -- said it was an "awesome success" and praised "brave and courageous Austrians" who supported the petition despite "unfavourable conditions" on national television late Monday.

Strache added that the petition, which needed 100,000 signatures out of 6 million voters to be taken to parliament, reached its target, even doubling expectations.

But although MPs are now obliged to debate the initiative, they do not have to order a referendum.

At a press conference Tuesday, Strache criticised this process, saying the law should be amended so that a referendum is automatically held if a petition gathers 250,000 signatures.

"More than a million people are with us in spirit," Strache said, arguing pressure was applied on those who worked in businesses that were conservative or Social Democrat, and that because of weather conditions, many were not informed where they could sign the initiative.

Among the main issues raised in the petition were the need to maintain Austrian neutrality and opposition to the European constitution and Turkey's accession to the EU.

Reinhold Lopatka, general secretary of the conservative OeVP called the petition "unnecessary and expensive" late Monday, arguing it would cost taxpayers two million euros (2.4 million dollars).

Social Democrat (SPOe) leader Josef Cap described it as "an unnecessary petition with mediocre results," adding the provisions it demanded were already in place.

But political scientist Anton Pelinka, cited by the daily Der Standard Tuesday, said the lef was partly to blame: "On the Turkish question, the SPOe played on populism as much as the FPOe," he said.

Meanwhile, BZOe speaker Uwe Scheuch said it was "a clear failure" and Green deputy spokeswoman Eva Glawischnig "a flop."

Xenophobia and anti-European sentiment played a main role in the campaign. According to the latest Eurobarometer figures, only 32 percent of Austrians believe the EU is a good thing.

Strache is also strongly opposed to Turkey joining the EU, like 80 percent of Austrians, compared to an EU average of 39 percent, according to the latest Eurobaromater figures.

Strache used the recent debate over cartoons of the prophet Mohammed to target a so-called "Muslim threat" and also warned that Austria would have to give up its neutrality if the EU set up a European security framework.

The petition was less successful than two previous neutrality initiatives in 1996 and 1997 and just slightly better than one conducted in 2000.

Of Austria's nine provinces, Vienna provided the most signatures with 58,551, or 5.24 percent of the electorate supporting the initiative.

Carinthia, home to former FPOe leader and Strache-rival Joerg Haider and his new BZOe party, had the poorest showing with only 8,166 signatures, or 1,91 percent of voters.

Analysts have said the initiative would not bring practical results but could help FPOe gather media attention ahead of Austria's general elections towards the end of the year, as the split far-right camp has lost considerable ground in recent regional elections.