Austria's Presidency: Is The Position Still Relevant?

Austria has a Federal President, who is the country's head of state. The current president is Alexander Van der Bellen, who was inaugurated on 26 January 2017 and re-elected in October 2022 for a second six-year term. The Federal President is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints the Federal Chancellor, has the power to dismiss the Government, dissolve the National Council, and reject proposed ministers, among other responsibilities.

Who is the president of Austria?

The President of Austria is Alexander Van der Bellen. He was inaugurated as the Federal President of the Republic of Austria on 26 January 2017 and was re-elected for a second six-year term in October 2022.

Van der Bellen is a member of the Green Party and has served as Federal Spokesperson and Chairman of the Greens' Parliamentary Group. He was a member of the National Council (the Austrian House of Representatives) from 1994 to 2012 and a member of the Vienna State Parliament and Vienna City Council from 2012 to 2015. He also served as a professor of economics at the University of Vienna.

The President of Austria is the Head of State and is elected by the Austrian people for a term of six years. The office of the president was established in 1920, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg monarchy in 1918. The power and role of the presidency have varied drastically over time. Since the restoration of the republic, presidents have taken an increasingly passive role in day-to-day politics.

What are the president's powers?

The President of Austria is the head of state of the Republic of Austria. The role of the president has varied drastically over time. The president's powers were established in the 1929 constitutional amendment, which gave the president more power than the Constitution of 1920.

The Austrian president has the power to appoint the chancellor, the vice-chancellor, and the ministers, who collectively form the Cabinet of Austria. The president also signs bills into law, appoints justices of the Supreme Court, signs treaties, and exercises various ceremonial duties. Additionally, the president has the power to remove the chancellor and the Cabinet, dissolve the National Council and the State Legislatures, rule by decree, and oversee the Armed Forces. However, these powers are rarely used.

The president is also responsible for offering moral support to the country, including the integration of minorities into the political process and the protection of democracy. Extensive experience in politics, a steady positioning within the population, and competence in all spheres of life are seen as essential prerequisites for a presidential candidate.

The president is the only representative of the entire country who is elected directly by the population for a term of six years. The current president of Austria is Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, who was inaugurated on January 26, 2017, and re-elected in October 2022 for a second six-year term.

How is the president elected?

The President of Austria is directly elected by Austrian citizens who are over the age of 16 and are not excluded from voting by a judicial conviction. The election takes place via secret ballot and the president is elected for a term of six years, with a limit of two consecutive terms.

The election is held in two rounds. In the first round, if a candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, they are elected as president. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes, a second ballot is held, in which only the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the first round can stand.

To be eligible to run for president, a candidate must be eligible to vote in the National Assembly election and must be at least 35 years old by the end of the election day. Additionally, members of ruling dynasties or families that have reigned in the past are not eligible for election.

The process of electing the president is outlined in the 1971 Presidential Election Act, Federal Law Gazette, with amendments made over the years. The election is called by the Federal Government, and the announcement must include the election date and the filing date. Candidate names must be submitted to the federal electoral authorities at least 30 days before the election day, along with 6,000 signatures of eligible voters and a fee of €3,600. The election results are announced immediately in the Official Gazette.

What is the role of the chancellor in relation to the president?

The chancellor of Austria is the head of government and is viewed as the country's de facto chief executive. The chancellor chairs and leads the Cabinet, which is composed of the chancellor, the vice chancellor and the ministers. The chancellor is appointed by the president and can be dismissed by the president. The chancellor does not have the authority to direct the other members of the Cabinet. However, the chancellor's power depends on the size of their affiliated parliamentary group.

In Austria, most executive actions of great extent can only be exercised by the president, upon advice or with the countersignature of the chancellor or a specific minister. Therefore, the chancellor often requires the president's consent to implement greater decisions. The chancellor also becomes the acting president if the president is incapacitated. However, if the president remains incapacitated beyond twenty days or has died, the role of acting president is passed on to the three presidents of the National Council.

What is the president's salary?

The President of Austria is the head of state of the Republic of Austria. The current president is Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, who was inaugurated on January 26, 2017, and re-elected in October 2022 for a second six-year term. The president is compensated for their public service with an annual salary of €349,398. This amount is particularly high when compared to the salaries of leaders of substantially larger countries, such as the chancellor of Germany, the president of France, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, the president of Russia, and the president of China.

The average salary for a president in Austria is €278,995 per year and €134 per hour. This salary range for a president in Austria is between €166,560 and €461,457. On average, a Master's Degree is the highest level of education for a president in the country.

Frequently asked questions