Nehammer Tasked to Form Austrian Coalition Government

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has tasked Chancellor Karl Nehammer, leader of the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), with forming a government, despite the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) winning the largest share of votes in the recent election. The FPÖ, led by Herbert Kickl, secured around 29% but failed to garner support from other parties for a coalition due to its controversial stances. Van der Bellen emphasized the need for a stable government and directed Nehammer to negotiate with the Social Democrats (SPÖ), who came third with 21% of votes. The coalition talks face challenges as the ÖVP and SPÖ would need an additional partner to secure a majority, potentially the Greens or the liberal Neos. Kickl criticized the decision as undemocratic, arguing that his party's exclusion forms a 'coalition of losers.' This move by Van der Bellen breaks with convention, driven by his intent to uphold the foundations of Austria's liberal democracy.