Alexander Van der Bellen: The Federal President of Austria

Early Life and Education

Alexander Van der Bellen was born in Vienna, Austria, on January 18, 1944. His father, Alexander Van der Bellen Sr., was a Russian-born diplomat and university professor, and his mother, Olga, was an Austrian journalist. Van der Bellen attended the Akademisches Gymnasium in Vienna and studied law at the University of Vienna. He graduated in 1966 and began his career as a legal scholar.

Political Career

Van der Bellen began his political career in the 1990s, joining the Green Party. He was elected to the National Council, the lower house of the Austrian Parliament, in 1994. He served as the Green Party's leader from 1997 to 2008, during which time the party became one of the largest in Austria.

Presidential Election

In 2016, Van der Bellen ran for the presidency of Austria. He narrowly defeated the far-right candidate, Norbert Hofer, in a runoff election. He was inaugurated as the 12th President of Austria on December 26, 2016.

Presidency

As President, Van der Bellen has focused on issues such as climate change, immigration, and social justice. He has been praised for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a significant impact on Austria.

Other Work

In addition to his political career, Van der Bellen is also an author and lecturer. He has written several books on law and politics, and he has taught at universities in Austria and Germany.

Personal Life

Van der Bellen is married to Doris Schmidauer, a former politician. They have two children.