Far-right leader pledges to ‘govern Austria honestly’

The leader of Austria’s Freedom Party, Herbert Kickl, addresses a news conference, in Vienna on Tuesday (Heinz-Peter Bader/AP)

Austrian far-right leader Herbert Kickl said on Tuesday in his first comments after being tasked to form a new government that he aspires to “govern Austria honestly” as he prepared for talks on a potential coalition with conservatives who criticised him sharply in the past.

Mr Kickl said he is prepared for new elections if they fail.