Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg will temporarily assume the role of interim leader as the far-right Freedom Party works to form a new coalition government, according to a statement from President Alexander Van der Bellen's office on Wednesday. Schallenberg, aged 55, will replace outgoing Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who announced his resignation over the weekend after failing to create a coalition that excluded the Freedom Party. Nehammer plans to step down on Friday, reports AP. Talks on a new 3-party Austrian government collapse as the smallest party pulls out The president's office confirmed that Schallenberg will be tasked with “continuing the management of the chancellery and leading the interim government.” This marks Schallenberg's second brief tenure as Austria’s leader; he previously served as chancellor for less than two months in late 2021 after Sebastian Kurz stepped down. Following that, Schallenberg returned to his position as foreign minister when Nehammer took over. Austrian companies keen to invest in Bangladesh: Ambassador The far-right Freedom Party, known for its anti-immigration stance, euroscepticism, and pro-Russia leanings, emerged victorious in Austria’s parliamentary elections in September. Initially shunned by other political parties, it now holds a central role in coalition negotiations after the Austrian People’s Party, led by Nehammer, reversed its earlier refusal to collaborate with the Freedom Party and its leader, Herbert Kickl. Bangladesh flags visa-related difficulties with Austria On Monday, Kickl was given the mandate to attempt forming a government, which could potentially become Austria’s first far-right-led administration since World War II. However, this process is expected to take weeks or even months, with no guarantee of success. Schallenberg has made it clear that he does not intend to remain in the government if Kickl leads it.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Tuesday said that the Israeli measures in the Palestinian territories would increase tension and undermine the two-state solution. Ishtaye made the remarks during a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in the West Bank city of Ramallah, to discuss bilateral relations and the political situation in the region, according to an official statement. "The Israeli measures of accelerating the cycle of settlements, demolition of Palestinian homes, confiscation of land, the measures at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the daily raids on the West Bank towns are undermining the two-state solution," Ishtaye said. Also Read: Israeli parliament sanctions critic of PM Bennett, his party He also referred to the economic and financial situations in the Palestinian territories, "which are completely linked to the Israeli measures and the Israeli control of the Palestinian resources." Earlier Tuesday, Schallenberg met with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Al-Maliki in Ramallah. At the end of their meeting, Al-Maliki told a news conference that the Palestinians are calling on the international community "to compel Israel to stop its violations and measures in the Palestinian territories, mainly in East Jerusalem." Also Read: Israeli FM accuses Hamas of orchestrating Jerusalem violence