Austrian foreign minister Schallenberg takes over as caretaker chancellor

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 current government, led by the People's Party (OVP), has served in a caretaker capacity since September's parliamentary election, which the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) won. The FPO has been tasked with forming a government and is due to start coalition talks with the OVP on Friday.