A lawmaker from the far-right Freedom Party is elected as speaker of Austria’s parliament

VIENNA (AP) — A lawmaker from the far-right Freedom Party has been elected as the new speaker of Austria’s parliament, weeks after the party won a national election for the first time. Walter Rosenkranz becomes the first member of the Freedom Party to be elected as speaker, one of the country’s highest-ranking positions in protocol terms. It has traditionally been taken by the strongest party. While a majority of lawmakers stuck to tradition in making the 62-year-old Rosenkranz the speaker of parliament, the Freedom Party isn’t likely to be part of the next government. Incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer has been given the task of forming a new administration.