The Freedom Party won the most votes in national elections in September, but a group of more moderate parties engaged in months-long negotiations to block it from taking power.

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen has officially tasked the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) with forming a government. Van der Bellen made the announcement at a press conference in Vienna on Monday after a meeting with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.

President Alexander van der Bellen, a former Green Party member, met with Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl and officially tasked him with forming a government.

The far-right, pro- Israel Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) has been tasked with forming a government for the first time, alarming many in a country which has often struggled to shake its Nazi past.

VIENNA - Austria's Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl said on Tuesday that he planned to invite the conservative People's Party for coalition talks. Kickl's announcement came one day after he was given a mandate by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to form a new government.

Austrian far-right Freedom Party (FPO) leader Herbert Kickl confirmed on Tuesday he plans to invite the conservative People's Party (OVP) to hold coalition talks after he was tasked with forming a coalition government.

Austria's far right, tasked for the first time with trying to form a government, warned on Tuesday of a "difficult" mission as relations with the conservatives are tense.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has asked the leader of the country's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) to form a new ruling coalition in what could yield the first far-right-led government in Austria since World War II.