Austrian far right to control foreign, interior ministries

VIENNA – A coalition deal between Austria's conservatives and far right will give the anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPO) control of the foreign, interior and defense ministries, among others, a conservative spokesman said.

FPO Chairman Herbert Kickl will become interior minister while Mario Kunasek will run the defense ministry and international law expert Karin Kneissl, though not an FPO member, will become foreign minister on an FPO ticket, the spokesman said on Saturday.

The People's Party of Sebastian Kurz, expected to become the next Austrian chancellor, will run ministries including finance, justice and agriculture, the spokesman added. Kurz confirmed earlier on Saturday that insurance executive Hartwig Loeger would become finance minister.