Speculation grows that Austrian far right leader Herbert Kickl will be asked to form a government

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen says he will meet with far-right politician Herbert Kickl as speculation grows that he will ask the Freedom Party leader to form a government. Van der Bellen made the announcement Sunday after meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer and others at his presidential palace. Nehammer has announced his intention to resign after coalition talks between his conservative Austrian People’s Party and the center-left Social Democrats collapsed. Kickl’s Freedom Party topped the polls in the autumn’s national election with 29.2% of the vote, but no other party was willing to work with Kickl. Nehammer still rules that out though others within his party are less adamant.