The Austrian People’s party on Monday agreed to speedy coalition talks with the rival Social Democratic party only two days after the death of Jörg Haider, the far-right leader, closed off a potential alternative to the return of a left-right coalition.

Josef Pröll, People’s party leader, said the financial crisis added urgency to the need to create a stable new government but Haider’s fatal car accident on Saturday contributed to his decision to accept again a junior role in a government.