Van der Bellen caved in too quickly

When asked about a possible government formation mandate for FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl two years ago, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen was clear: he would not “try to promote this anti-European party,” he said before being sworn in for his second term in office. And that’s what he actually tried to do after the FPÖ victory in the National Council election – by initially denying Kickl the mandate to form a government. But now the head of state has taken this step – and thereby acted inconsistently.