The reaction was serene. The Federal President “will announce in good time” whether he will run for a second term.
Even with the Greens, Van der Bellen’s ex-party, nothing more is available at the moment. Maybe also because there is still no decision. “In any case, Van der Bellen is not tired of office. But who knows what will be in two years?”, Says the Greens.
There is still some time to decide. The election campaign will take place in 2022, and Van der Bellen was sworn in in January 2017. So the period ends in January 2023. The decision on a re-candidacy will therefore only be made in about one and a half years.
Appearance with Steinmeier
Van der Bellen is currently at the Salzburg Festival. Together with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier he will take the anniversary Jedermann on the Domplatz and the concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Christian Thielemann visit. A joint press statement with Steinmeier is also planned.
Only Kurt Waldheim waived
Except for the controversial one Kurt Waldheim So far, all federal presidents have run for a second, six-year term.
The speculations about Van der Bellen exist because of his somewhat advanced age. Van der Bellen was born in January 1944 and would be 79 years old at the start of his second term in January 2023.
Van der Bellen’s predecessor Heinz Fischer left office at the age of 77 after the second term.
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