Austria’s president tasks far-right FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl with forming new government

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 Monday.

“Kickl has the confidence to find viable solutions within the framework of government negotiations and he wants to fulfil this responsibility,” Van der Bellen said.

If successful, it would mark Austria’s first far-right-led government since World War II.

Kickl’s party secured victory in Austria’s parliamentary elections in September, garnering 28.8% of the vote and surpassing outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party, which came in second.