Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg was sworn in as caretaker chancellor on Friday, succeeding fellow conservative Karl Nehammer who quit last weekend after his attempt to form a centrist coalition government without the far right failed.

The Austrian president's office says Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will serve as the country’s interim leader while the far-right Freedom Party attempts to put together a new coalition government.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is to serve as interim chancellor until a new government is found, the office of President Alexander van der Bellen announced on Wednesday. Schallenberg is to lead the current coalition between the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Greens,

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg was named as interim chancellor on Wednesday as barbs between rival leaders began to fly ahead of new coalition talks led by the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ).

Austria's foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg will take over as caretaker chancellor from Friday, as the far right seeks to form a government with the conservatives in a tense political climate.Wednesday's announcement came after conservative Karl Nehammer said over the weekend he would step down as chancellor and party chairman following the collapse of coalition talks to form a government excluding the far-right Freedom party (FPOe).

If Kickl — who is expected to cozy up to the Kremlin and pursue hard-line policies in areas like migration — successfully forms a government he would become Austria’s new chancellor and the country’s first far-right leader since the end of World War II.

The Austrian president's office says Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will serve as the country’s interim leader while the far-right Freedom Party attempts to put together a new coalition government.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will take over as caretaker chancellor on Wednesday, succeeding Karl Nehammer. The appointment follows Nehammer’s surprise resignation after his centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP/EPP) failed to form a government with the Social Democrats and the liberal NEOS (Renew), who withdrew from the talks.