Austria's far right, tasked for the first time with trying to form a government, warned on Tuesday of a "difficult" mission as relations with the conservatives are tense.
The Freedom Party (FPÖ) topped national elections in September for the first time ever.
But they found themselves without partners to govern, until this weekend when the election runner-up conservatives said their negotiations with other parties had failed and, in an about-turn, said they were ready to negotiate with the FPÖ.
The FPÖ's radical leader Herbert Kickl promised to open a "new era" of "normality, common sense and healthy patriotism" without "low blows".
How strong is the FPÖ's position?
Kickl said negotiations with the conservative People's Party (ÖVP) would be a "litmus test".
"No games, no tricks, no sabotage, no obstructionism and no politics for the sake of maintaining power... if that is not guaranteed... then there will be new elections, we are prepared for that," he said.
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The party currently scores more than 35 percent in opinion polls, up from the almost 29 percent they won in the September election.
Meanwhile, the conservatives are "in a very bad position" after their efforts to form a government without the FPÖ failed, political scientist Thomas Hofer told AFP.
Over the weekend, conservative Karl Nehammer -- a sharp critic of Kickl -- announced he was resigning from the chancellorship and as ÖVP chief as government talks fell apart.
Slumping in the polls, the ÖVP "cannot afford" for people to return to the ballot boxes, according to Hofer.
So ÖVP interim leader Christian Stocker "probably" will become the first vice chancellor of a government dominated by the far right in the Alpine EU member, he said.
Bringing back former chancellor Sebastian Kurz, as demanded by some close to the party, could give the conservatives a boost.
But "Herbert Kickl and he are both stars" and "not directly compatible," Patrick Moreau, Austria specialist at France's CNRS institute, told AFP.
So while Kurz is unlikely to negotiate for a government under Kickl, he could come back to lead the ÖVP should an FPÖ-led government fail and fresh elections be called, according to both experts.
What about its foreign policy?
Though the FPÖ has already been part of government several times with the conservatives since 2000, it was the conservatives who represented the country internationally, imposing a pro-European agenda.
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Throughout his campaign, Kickl had criticised Brussels, including slamming EU sanctions against Russia imposed over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Focused on domestic issues, he has called for a return to the strict neutrality, to which many Austrians are attached.
While it could be difficult to reach common foreign policy positions, the two parties' programme could remain vague, while they focus on economic issues, according to Hofer.
The far right will also "want to strengthen the bloc" of nationalists "by getting closer to Slovakia and Hungary", which "would create a blocking minority" in the EU, Moreau said.
What are the risks to the rule of law?
Kickl has raised fears that the FPÖ would attack the rule of law, like Prime Minister Viktor Orban in neighbouring Hungary.
Kickl frequently employs terms reminiscent of the troubled past of the party -- founded by former Nazis -- including calling himself the future "Volkskanzler" -- the people's chancellor -- as Adolf Hitler was called, even though he denies using Nazi references.
If an FPÖ-led government can be formed, one of its first measures will be to "limit the powers" of the public prosecutor's office, seen as "very disturbing", according to Moreau.
A corruption scandal crushed the FPÖ in 2019, leading to Kickl to take over and revitalise the party in 2021.
The FPÖ has also said it wants to cut funding to public broadcaster ORF.
Kickl did not accept questions when he spoke on Tuesday, and several journalists were refused access with the party citing a "lack of space".
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