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.

Another leading figure from Austria's centre-right People's Party (ÖVP) has been appointed as the country's acting head of government, amid months of political turmoil resulting from recent elections.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen announced Wednesday that Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) will temporarily assume leadership of the government starting Friday.

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will be the interim head of Austria as coalition government talks continue. Outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer resigned after failing to form a coalition without the Freedom Party and will officially step down on Friday.

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).

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has been sworn in as acting Chancellor of Austria, ORF reports. “One of the tasks of the federal president is to ensure that the government is in power at all times,

Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, 16/12