Austrian Elections: Far-Right Party Faces Coalition Hurdles

Chancellor Karl Nehammer of Austria's conservative party has urged President Alexander Van der Bellen to assign the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) the task of forming a coalition government after it won the parliamentary election. The FPO, known for its anti-immigration stance, secured around 29% of the vote but requires a coalition partner to govern.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer, leader of Austria's conservative party, has called on President Alexander Van der Bellen to officially task the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) with forming a coalition government following their victory in Sunday's parliamentary election.

The FPO, which has a history dating back to the 1950s and has ties to a former SS officer, achieved a historic win with approximately 29% of the vote. However, they require a coalition partner to secure a majority in parliament.

President Van der Bellen, a former Greens leader, announced plans to meet with all parliamentary parties to discuss the next steps, though the direction of the coalition remains uncertain.

(With inputs from agencies.)