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.

The collapse of coalition talks last weeks has could lead to the far-right at the head of the Austrian government for the first time in the post-war era.

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.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has tasked the far right Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl with leading the formation of a new government.

Kickl, the leader of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), is set to take power as the country’s next chancellor in a coalition with the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) after he was asked Monday to form the country’s next government.

He is so abrasive that he has one of Austria's lowest personal approval ratings, but far-right chief Herbert Kickl's strategic cunning helped his party to its first ever national election win and he now has a chance to become its first chancellor.

Austria's conservatives said Sunday they were ready to start negotiations with the far-right Freedom party (FPOe) to form a new government, a policy U-turn after coalition talks with two centrist parties failed.

The leader of Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPO) met President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday expecting to be tasked with forming a coalition government after a centrist bid to assemble one without the FPO collapsed over the weekend.