Van der Bellen Opens Salzburg Festival

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen addressed climate change and political compromise during his Salzburg Festival opening speech.

Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen delivered an opening speech at the Salzburg Festival, addressing the political misuse of the term 'Heimat.' Born in Vienna in 1944 to an Estonian mother and a Russian father who emigrated from present-day Estonia, Van der Bellen grew up in Tyrol's Kaunertal valley, where Pepi Raich is mayor. He described being born in the European Union as 'luck in the birth lottery' and noted that the internal life of every free, liberal democracy consists of compromises. The President also called for more climate protection, stating that a homeland becomes uninhabitable starting at 40 degrees Celsius. His remarks focused on the importance of maintaining a functioning democracy and protecting the environment to ensure a livable future.