VIENNA - Austria's Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl said on Tuesday that he planned to invite the conservative People's Party for coalition talks. Kickl's announcement came one day after he was given a mandate by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to form a new government.

Austria’s liberal NEOS party announced on Friday that it has withdrawn from coalition talks with social democratic SPO and far-right OVP parties, according to local media reports.

Following the failure of talks on a three-way coalition in Austria, the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the Social Democrats (SPÖ) want to continue one-on-one coalition talks. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said Friday that both parties have announced their intent to talk about a grand coalition.