But Kickl on Wednesday informed President Alexander Van der Bellen that he was giving up the mandate. Weeks of tense talks with the conservative Austrian People’s Party appeared increasingly ...

Mr Van der Bellen, a former leader of the Green party, said he had not taken the decision to turn to Mr Kickl lightly. But he had been left with no choice.

Van der Bellen initially tasked Nehammer with forming a government. However, the ÖVP refused to enter a coalition with the FPÖ under Kickl – leading to a political stalemate.

Van der Bellen has said the raid led foreign intelligence agencies to reduce cooperation with Austria. As that coalition collapsed, then-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had Van Der Bellen sack Kickl.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen tasked the leader of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Monday with forming a coalition government after a centrist bid to assemble one without the ...

[1/4]Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen shakes hands with far-right Freedom Party (FPO) leader Herbert Kickl in Vienna, Austria, January 6, 2025.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen gave the green light to far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl to attempt and form the new ruling coalition after the two met in Vienna on ...

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said on Monday he had tasked far-right Freedom Party (FPO) leader Herbert Kickl with forming a coalition government after a centrist attempt to assemble ...

Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria’s anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPÖ), has a chance to become Austria’s new chancellor and its first far-right leader since the end of World War II. Austrian President ...

Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria’s anti-immigrant Freedom Party (FPÖ), has a chance to become Austria’s new chancellor and its first far-right leader since the end of World War II. Austrian President ...