Vienna - Austrian political and religious leaders expressed shock about the death of far-right Joerg Haider in a car accident on Saturday morning, but many pointed to the divisive nature of his politics.

"He was a politician of great gifts and talents," President Heinz Fischer told national broadcaster ORF.

"He sparked intense approval as much as intense criticism," the social democratic president said about Haider, who was leader of the Alliance of the Future of Austria and governor of the province of Carinthia.

From the 1980s, Haider turned Austria's small right-wing movement into a force to be reckoned with by often denigrating political opponents, and by tapping into revisionist and anti-immigrant sentiments.

Green party leader Eva Glawischnig and Protestant Bishop Michael Buenker both said Haider had polarized the public and politics.

Haider's sudden death should come as a call to politicians "to always put unity above division," Buenker said.

Conservative leader Josef Proell said Haider had brought a new style to Austrian politics.

"He was different, and as we saw in the last elections, it was very successful," he said, referring to 11 per cent of the votes which the Alliance won in the parliamentary elections in late September.

Alliance officials were deeply shocked about the death of their leader who was the founder and public face of the party.

"For us, this is like the end of the world," Alliance spokesman and deputy leader Stefan Petzner told ORF.

"We had a wonderful time together which unfortunately ended much too early," Petzner said among tears.

"The sun has dropped from the sky in Carinthia," said Gerhard Doerfler, who will take over as acting governor.

Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, more successful Haider's right-wing political rival, said Saturday that Haider was responsible for "incredible changes" in Austria which for a long time had been dominated by a "fabric of power" spun by social democrats and mainstream conservatives. (dpa)