The leader of the anti-immigration, pro-Russia Freedom Party has been given the chance to try to form a government after months of coalition talks among mainstream parties collapsed.

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 Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he’ll step down as head of government and chairman of the conservative People’s Party after failing to form a coalition 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. President Alexander Van der Bellen on Monday tasked its leader,

The collapse underscores the difficulty of forming stable governments in Europe, where the far right is on the rise, but many parties are loath to partner with them.

The leader of Austria’s Freedom Party received a mandate Monday to form a new government, which would be the first headed by the far right since World War II if he succeeds

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.

The Freedom Party was tasked with trying to form the nation’s first far-right-led government since World War II, adding to the trend of anti-immigrant and populist parties gaining ground across Europe.