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Political System
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Austria is a federal parliamentary democratic republic. The Austrian Federal Constitution was passed by the Constituent National Assembly on October 1 1920. Austria is a federal republic comprised of independent federal states: Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria, Vienna and Vorarlberg. The territory of the federal republic is made up of the territories of the federal states, constituting a uniform monetary, economic and customs entity. The federal capital and the seat of the supreme federal authorities are in Vienna. The Republic of Austria covers a surface area of 84,000 square kilometres. It has a population of approximately 8 million. German is the official language but specific rights have been accorded by federal law to the recognised linguistic minorities. The Austrian Constitution is based on the principles of a republican, democratic and federal state, the principle of the rule of law, and the principle of the separation of legislative and executive powers and the separation of jurisdiction and administration. The basic rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Federal Constitution were first accorded more than a century ago. The provisions of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms supplement Austria's constitutional law. Legislature 
The "Parlament" (Parliament) has two chambers. The Nationalrat (National Council) has 183 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. The Bundesrat (Federal Council) has 64 members, sent for five to six years by the provincial parliaments. The Federal President is empowered to dissolve the Nationalrat, but he may do so only once on the same grounds. Nationalrat The federal legislative functions are carried out by the Nationalrat in conjunction with the Bundesrat. The Nationalrat has its seat in the federal capital Vienna. The Nationalrat is elected by the electorate on the basis of an equal, direct, secret, representative and personal ballot. The electorate consists of all women and men who have completed their eighteenth year before January 1st of the year of the election. The legislative term of the Nationalrat lasts for four years. The Nationalrat sessions are open to the public. In the event that the 'Nationalrat', the lower chamber of the Austrian Parliament, explicitly passes a vote of no confidence in the Federal Government or in an individual Federal Minister, then the Federal Government or the Federal Minister concerned must be dismissed. The Nationalrat is also empowered to indict members of the Federal Government for infringements of the law before the Constitutional Court. If the Court finds that person guilty, he or she will be dismissed. The ÖVP currently holds 66 seats. Bundesrat Federal legislation is enacted in conjunction with the Bundesrat. The Bundesrat represents the federal states, the number of deputies for each state being proportional to that state's population. Bundesrat sessions are open to the public. The State Governors are entitled to attend all negotiations conducted by the Bundesrat. The Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP), Austrian People's Party currently holds 26 seats. Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) When both chambers of the Austrian Parliament, the Nationalrat and the Bundesrat, convene jointly in public session, the gathering is referred to as the Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung). The Federal Assembly comes together:
If the Federal Assembly calls for a national referendum on the dismissal of the Federal President, this referendum must be carried out. The Federal President may be prosecuted by the authorities only if the Federal Assembly has given its consent. Head of State Heinz Fischer (SPÖ) has been Federal President since July 8, 2004. The Federal President is one of the supreme executive authorities, along with the Federal Ministers and State Secretaries and the members of the State Governments. The Federal President is elected by the electorate on the basis of an equal, direct, secret and personal ballot. The Federal President's term of office runs for six years. An incumbent may run for a second consecutive term of office only once. During his term of office, the Federal President may not belong to a general representative body nor exercise another profession. He may be prosecuted by the authorities only if the Federal Assembly gives its consent. The functions of the Federal President The Federal President represents the Republic of Austria outside Austria. He also appoints the Federal Chancellor and, at the latter's recommendation, the other Federal Ministers in the Federal Government. Every year the Federal President summons the 'Nationalrat' to a regular session and may also call extraordinary sessions of the 'Nationalrat'. The Federal President is empowered to dissolve the 'Nationalrat' but may do so only once on the same grounds. The Federal President is Commander-in-Chief of the Austrian armed forces. The Federal President also has the following powers:
The Federal Government is entrusted with the foremost administrative functions within the state. The Federal Government is made up of the Federal Chancellor, the Deputy Chancellor and the other Federal Ministers. Together, they form the Federal Government, which is headed by the Federal Chancellor. The Federal Government passes its decisions unanimously. No provision is made for majority votes within the cabinet. Government Elections The latest round of elections to the Nationalrat took place on 28 September 2008. The composition of the Bundesrat changes after every election to a state's Landtag. |
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