A steering system for a vehicle has a steering wheel that is mechanically connected to the steerable vehicle wheels via a steering column. An actuating device is actuated by a control device to generate an actuating device holding torque that acts in the steering column. The actuating device has two friction elements that can be placed in frictional contact. The actuating device holding torque is variable and depends on the friction force generated between the two friction elements. The reaction torque that acts on the steering wheel when there is steering intervention which is independent of the driver can be reduced or compensated by the actuating device holding torque.