Austria's Governance: Understanding The System

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states. The country is governed according to the principles of representative democracy and the rule of law. The head of state is the Federal President, who is elected by popular vote for a term of six years and limited to two consecutive terms of office. The Chancellor is the head of government and presides over cabinet meetings. Federal legislative power is vested in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament: the National Council and the Federal Council.

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states

Austrian politics takes place within the constitutional framework of a federal semi-presidential republic. The country has a President, the Bundespräsident, serving as head of state and a Chancellor, the Bundeskanzler, as head of government. Governments, both local and federal, exercise executive power. Federal legislative power is vested both in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament; the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The Judiciary of Austria is independent of the executive and legislative branches of government.

The government is convened for frequently scheduled meetings. When formally convened, the government is termed the Council of Ministers (Ministerrat), which is equivalent to the word "cabinet". The Chancellor presides over cabinet meetings as first among equals without decisional authority, regardless of his right of proposal concerning the appointment of the government's members by the President.

The head of state is the Federal President

Austria is a federal semi-presidential republic, with a President (Bundespräsident) serving as head of state and a Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) as head of government. The Federal President is elected by popular vote for a term of six years and is limited to two consecutive terms of office. The Chancellor presides over cabinet meetings as first among equals without decisional authority, regardless of their right of proposal concerning the appointment of the government's members by the President.

Austria's constitution characterises the republic as a federation consisting of nine autonomous federal states (Bundesländer). Each federal state has representatives in the main Austrian parliament. The federal states can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution. The government structure resembles that of larger federal republics such as Germany.

Austrian politics takes place within the constitutional framework of a federal semi-presidential republic. Federal legislative power is vested in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament; the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The Judiciary of Austria is independent of the executive and legislative branches of government.

The Chancellor presides over cabinet meetings

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states. The country's head of state is the Federal President, who is elected by popular vote for a term of six years and can only serve two consecutive terms. The Chancellor is the head of government and presides over cabinet meetings, which are formally convened as the Council of Ministers. The Chancellor is first among equals without decisional authority, regardless of their right of proposal concerning the appointment of government members by the President. The cabinet adopts resolutions in the presence of at least half of its members and, according to the ruling of the Austrian Constitutional Court, unanimously – in particular, the introduction of bills to the National Council. Each federal minister is also responsible for their own ministry and may be supported by one or more state secretaries, who also participate in the cabinet's meetings.

Federal legislative power is vested in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament

Austria is a federal semi-presidential republic with a President (Bundespräsident) serving as head of state and a Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) as head of government. Federal legislative power is vested in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament: the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat). The National Council is the lower house of the Austrian Parliament and the Federal Council is the upper house. The National Council is composed of 183 members who are directly elected by the Austrian people. The Federal Council is composed of 61 members who are indirectly elected by the nine federal states of Austria. The Federal Council has the power to initiate legislation and the National Council has the power to pass legislation. The Federal Government is responsible for implementing the laws passed by Parliament. The Chancellor presides over cabinet meetings as first among equals without decisional authority, regardless of his right of proposal concerning the appointment of the government's members by the President.

Austrian federal states can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution

Austria is a federal republic consisting of nine federal states. The federal states can pass laws that stay within the limits of the constitution, and each state has its own representatives in the main Austrian parliament. The country is governed according to the principles of representative democracy and the rule of law.

Austria's head of state is the Federal President (Bundespräsident), who is elected by popular vote for a term of six years and can only serve two consecutive terms. The Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) is the head of government and presides over cabinet meetings, although they do not have decisional authority. The cabinet adopts resolutions in the presence of at least half of its members and, according to the ruling of the Austrian Constitutional Court, unanimously – in particular the introduction of bills to the National Council.

The Judiciary of Austria is independent of the executive and legislative branches of government. Federal legislative power is vested in the Federal Government and in the two chambers of Parliament; the National Council (Nationalrat) and the Federal Council (Bundesrat).

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