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 -- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday tasked Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl with forming a new government after recent coalition talks without the far-right party collapsed.

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 FPO collapsed unexpectedly over the weekend.

Austrian Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl is meeting the country’s president as expectations mount that he will be tasked with trying to form a new government, which would be the first led by the fa

Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen on Sunday announced that he would meet with far-right politician Herbert Kickl as speculation grows that he will ask the Freedom Party leader to form a government.

Attempts to form a government without the far-right Freedom Party collapsed in recent days, more than three months after it won a parliamentary election.

Austria's far-right and conservative parties have previously shared power but always with the Freedom Party in a junior role.

An estimated 500 people protested against “the return of a fascist state” outside Vienna’s presidential palace on Monday (January 6), according to police, hours before the country’s president tasked far-right FPO leader Herbert Kickl to form a coalition government.