A Short Description of Alexander Van der Bellen

Alexander Van der Bellen

     Alexander Van der Bellen is the son of immigrants fleeing the oppressive rule of Josef Stalin and grew up in Austria to become a figure of tolerance, equality, and freedom.

1. He temporarily grew up in a refugee camp.

     The son of a Russian father and Estonian mother, they fled Russia and the Red Army and came to Austria where they found a new life. They arrived at the end of World War 2 when Stalin's communism was growing and becoming a threat to Eastern Europe.

2. He was the Dean of Economics at the University of Vienna.

     Graduating from Innsbruck with a doctorate, he rose to become the Dean of Economics at the University of Vienna, which was oft-mentioned in his presidential campaign. 

    His supporters affectionately refer to him as "Professor" while his opponent, Norbert Hofer criticizes him for his "schoolmasterliness" in debates.

3. He won not one, but two elections to achieve Austian presidency in the same year.

   The first election was extremely close, but he narrowly won. However, his opponent, Norbert Hofer, claimed that there were discrepancies in the counting of absentee ballots. The Austrian supreme court permitted another election, but this election was postponed due to faulty glue for the absentee ballots. 

   Finally, on December 4th, Van der Bellen secured a victory and the title of President-elect of Austria. Norbert Hofer conceded with class, saying that Austrians need to be united, especially during the turbulent times we are in today.

4. Running under the flag of the Green Party, his politics are quite liberal.

     He is a leading proponent of open borders in Austria, mainly because he was the son of immigrant parents himself. The Green Party is known because of their heavily environmental-centered politics, so we can expect vigorous support for green energy proposals. 

     Another one of the issues facing Europe today is whether or not to remain in the European Union or leave it. Indeed, this was at the forefront of the Austrian presidential election. Alexander is a fervent supporter of the Union and says that Austria will remain a part of the EU. He claims that a referendum will not be held.

In conclusion:

     Despite being a figure who is determined to unite Austrians, he has proved a dividing figure in Austrian, and world, politics. As the son of refugees, he overcame the wave of anti-immigrant sentiment that is sweeping over Europe to become the president of Austria.