The Austrian president is out of commission after slipping while hiking in the woods, according to a statement released to his official Twitter account. Alexander Van der Bellen, 78, a liberal politician in a country facing a far-right surge, suffered abrasions and a slight concussion Sunday after slipping in Kaunergrat, a national park marked by dramatic mountain ranges, though the statement described his injuries as minor. Van der Bellen, the former leader of the country’s Green Party, is expected to stay in the hospital through Monday night, according to Austrian daily newspaper Kronen Zeitung, and has subsequently canceled his Monday and Tuesday appointments at the Forum Alpbach, a 4,000-person event that combines international minds on issues including climate change, democracy, and Europe’s future. The president, who is from the area and reportedly keeps a second residence by the nature reserve, is considered a good hiker, according to the Austrian outlet. The country is holding its next federal presidential election this fall, with Van der Bellen pursuing re-election despite what the Independent called a “turbulent term.”
