The leader of the anti-immigration, pro-Russia Freedom Party has been given the chance to try to form a government after months of coalition talks among mainstream parties collapsed.

He is so abrasive that he has one of Austria's lowest personal approval ratings, but far-right chief Herbert Kickl's strategic cunning helped his party to its first ever national election win and he now has a chance to become its first chancellor.

Former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz is not interested in returning to the role following the departure of the incumbent chancellor, a source within Kurz's entourage told dpa on Sunday. Following Karl Nehammer's announcement that he was resigning as Austrian chancellor and leader of the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP),

The Freedom Party was tasked with trying to form the nation’s first far-right-led government since World War II, adding to the trend of anti-immigrant and populist parties gaining ground across Europe.