Vienna - When Stefan Petzner said after the death of Joerg Haider in October that the far-right leader was his "Lebensmensch", the most important person in his life, he probably did not guess that Austrians would vote the term as buzzword of the year.

Although the word usually describes a close, important friendship, the public saw Petzner's use of the term as having a more intimate meaning, said professor Rudolf Muhr, the head of the panel of linguists at the University of Graz who announced the results of the online vote Thursday.

"It was seen as a public acknowledgment of homosexuality," he said about the comment by Petzner, who was Haider's deputy as leader of the Alliance for the Future of Austria and is now a member or parliament.

As Haider had carefully maintained his image as a mountain-climbing family man, Muhr said, "the word was like a bomb falling from the sky."

When the 58-year-old Alliance leader and governor of the Carinthia province died on October 11 in a car accident, he left behind his wife Claudia and two grown-up daughters.

But in the first official press conference on the same day, it was 27-year-old Petzner, rather than his widow, who declared under tears that Haider had been his "Lebensmensch."

This year's choice for word of the year showed that homosexuality is still a taboo topic in Austria that can only be addressed in a roundabout manner, said Christian Hoegl, chairman of HOSI Wien, a gay and lesbian rights group.

"On the other hand, it shows that the grieving partner is not taken seriously," Hoegl said, referring to Petzner.

The term "Lebensmensch" was coined by late Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard. He used it to describe Hedwig Stavianicek, a woman 37 years his senior who was his caretaker and became his life-long partner until her death in 1984.

Haider denied rumours about his homosexual or bisexual leanings, and Petzner has never confirmed the exact nature of his relationship with his close friend and political mentor.

When Petzner was asked to define "Lebensmensch" in an interview with the radio station Oe3 shortly after Haider's death, he answered: "He and I know what is meant by that and it should remain between us."

Although the young politician was designated to follow Haider as head of the far-right Alliance, he stepped down as interim leader on November 19.

Austrian media widely attributed his decision to pressure from within his party, as his public remarks about his relationship with Haider had become a liability. (dpa)