Austria's acting Chancellor Viktor Klima has said that he is abandoning his attempt to form a minority government led by his Social Democrats as it would clearly not find sufficient parliamentary backing. His announcement followed the start this evening of negotiations between the Conservative People's Party and the far-right Freedom Party, which together enjoy a commanding majority in parliament.
Austria has been effectively without a government since October's election produced an inconclusive result. Negotiations on a new coalition between the Social Democrats and the Conservatives collapsed last week; this opened the way for talks between the Conservatives and the far right Freedom Party, which is anti-immigrant and has voiced its admiration for Adolf Hitler. Israel has threatened to withdraw its ambassador if the Freedom Party plays any part in government.
