Austrian winner opens door to coalition with far-right

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA (AA) - Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian conservative leader tasked with forming a government after winning this month's elections said Tuesday he had invited the far-wing Freedom Party (FPO) to make a coalition.

Speaking at news briefing at his party's headquarters in Vienna, the Austrian People's Party (OVP) leader said he had not received a positive signal from Christian Kern’s Social Democratic Party (SPO).

Kurz said coalition talks will start soon with the FPO, which has campaigned for immigration restrictions and been under the spotlight for anti-Islam statements.

Led by 31-year-old Kurz, the center-right OVP won a clear victory, capturing 31.6 percent of the vote, up from 24 percent four years ago.

The SPO managed to secure second place after a neck-and-neck race with the far-right FPO. The official results showed the SPO at 26.9 percent, while the FPO got 26 percent.

President Alexander Van der Bellen tasked Kurz with forming a government on Friday.

Kurz and his party took a harsher tone on issues related to migration and Islam during the campaign, sparking criticisms that the OVP was drifting into right-wing populism in the hope of attracting far-right voters.