Austrian president to undergo operation

VIENNA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) — Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who is overseeing coalition talks after the country’s September general election, will undergo a routine operation in the next few days, his office said on Saturday.
The 80-year-old, who has been Austrian president since 2017, “has been struggling with disc problems since the beginning of the year” and “will therefore undergo a routine operation on his intervertebral discs,” his office said on social media platform X.
His office added that Chancellor Karl Nehammer will represent Van der Bellen during his treatment and subsequent recovery.
Last week, Van der Bellen tasked Nehammer, also leader of the People’s Party, with forming a coalition government despite the Freedom Party’s victory in September’s parliamentary election. The Freedom Party has not been able to find coalition partners to govern. ■