Austria's new three-party coalition government comprising the conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) and the liberal NEOS was sworn in on Monday, ending months of political deadlock in the Alpine nation.

The announcement was a victory for mainstream political parties, after earlier talks involving the hard-right Freedom Party broke down.

Three parties reached a deal on Thursday to form a new centrist Austrian government, two weeks after a far-right party that won an election in September failed to put together an administration.

VIENNA - Austrian parties that plan to form a coalition government excluding the far right announced their future ministers on Friday, among them the first left-wing finance minister in 25 years, before a key vote to seal the deal on Sunday.

Austria's Social Democratic Party chairman Andreas Babler speaks at a press conference in Vienna, Austria, Feb. 27, 2025. The Austrian People's Party, the Social Democratic Party and the NEOS party have agreed to form a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party, it is reported Thursday. (Photo by Georges Schneider/Xinhua)

The three biggest centrist parties in Austria's parliament on signalled on Saturday they were close to agreeing on a coalition government, almost five months after an election won by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO),