The collapse underscores the difficulty of forming stable governments in Europe, where the far right is on the rise, but many parties are loath to partner with them.

The leader of the anti-immigrant Freedom Party of Austria, founded by former Nazis in the 1950s, was expected to be asked to enter into talks to form a new government.

Austria's conservatives said Sunday they were ready to start negotiations with the far-right Freedom party (FPOe) to form a new government, a policy U-turn after coalition talks with two centrist parties failed.