Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen does not want to damage his office. That is why he will not get a TV debate, he confirmed on Tuesday evening in the “ZiB 2”. In the interview, he also spoke about climate protection and current crises.
None of his predecessors has ever sat in a television studio with all the other presidential candidates, according to Van der Bellen. “My work must be sufficient identification.” For years, voters have been able to see how he exercises his office, fulfills his duties, manages crises and ultimately manages them. He no longer needs a way to express his point of view on certain issues. The situation is different with its six competitors.
Daily life versus crisis
Van der Bellen made it clear six years ago that he would not speak out weekly. However, a distinction must be made between everyday situations and critical developments. “The war against Ukraine is not an everyday activity, but a crisis-ridden development.” Events like these require special attention. However, the head of state does not want to raise the “general level of excitement”, but rather react calmly and cautiously.
A federal president should think about what he says in public and when it is better to ask a minister for an appointment. “Often it is more effective to discuss something openly in private than in front of the camera.” Questions, among other things, must be approached professionally and calmly, even if an event has never occurred before.
Van der Bellen recalled that he does not have a government job. When asked about the coming months, he said that while they would be difficult, he was “fairly optimistic.” The federal government is taking precautions and nobody has to freeze. His statement that especially young people had to grit their teeth with inflation was “very austere”.
Hope thanks to Greta Thunberg
Another topic in the interview “ZiB 2” was climate protection. His opponent, Heinrich Staudinger, had accused him of using the office insufficiently to put climate policy on the agenda. Climate policy is no longer a green concern, but one of the whole world, replied the former Groen. At the same time, he admitted that he himself had become frustrated with the climate crisis in recent years. Movements like Fridays For Future and young activists like Greta Thunberg have given him new hope that the climate crisis is being taken seriously. At the moment she has only been pushed into the background by the war.
Van der Bellen made it clear that he wants to win the first round on Sunday 9 October. “If my wish does not come true, I will of course go for a second round.” Ultimately, the result will also depend on the turnout.
Source: Krone
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