51�Թ�

He told President Alexander Van der Bellen that he was giving up the mandate to form what would have been Austria's first far-right-led government since the FPÖ was founded by former Nazis in the 1950s.

The FPO has been in power before, but only as a junior coalition partner.

President Van der Bellen infuriated the FPO by not tasking it with forming a government soon after the election.

The step is a dramatic reversal for the president, a former leader of the Green Party, who has long been critical of the FPO and has expressed reservations about Kickl as Chancellor.

The Russia-friendly FPÖ has been in a ruling coalition before.