And groundhog day: just like six years ago, FPÖ politicians again abstained from applause after Alexander Van der Bellen’s speech on the occasion of his second swearing-in as Federal President. Herbert Kickl and Co. even remained demonstrative in their seats.
The invited guests welcomed Van der Bellen’s speech to the Federal Assembly on Thursday morning and received standing ovations.
Only the liberal mandataries showed no emotion. But this is not new. When Van der Bellen was sworn in for the first time on January 26, 2017, the FPÖ politicians did not applaud the head of state.
The then FPÖ leader Heinz-Christan Strache defended the provocative behavior of his mandate holders on Facebook: “Given his statements in the past and during the election campaign, it is not surprising that Van der Bellen’s swearing-in did not cause frenetic storms of enthusiasm among me and us liberals.”
Van der Bellen: No automatic government order for Kickl
The main reason for the PVV’s attitude was probably the ORF interview with the Federal President on the eve of his swearing-in, in which the head of state emphasized that FPÖ leader Kickl would not automatically receive an order to form a government if he won the elections. Van der Bellen defined “red lines” that he believes should not be crossed.
Kickl: “Personal arbitrariness”
This caused outrage in the blue ranks. Kickl himself criticized the “personal arbitrariness”, on Thursday also spoke out his secretary-general Christian Hafenecker, who identified a deeply “anti-democratic and authoritarian act”. The FPÖ also linked it to the elections in Lower Austria.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
