Austria's Legislature: A Bicameral System Explained

Austria's legislature is bicameral, consisting of two chambers: the National Council and the Federal Council. The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral federal legislature, with the National Council being the predominant chamber. The Federal Council is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament, representing the nine States of Austria at the federal level. The Federal Council's approval is mandatory in cases concerning constitutional laws or regulations limiting the competencies of the federal states, laws relating to the rights of the Federal Council itself, and treaties concerning the jurisdiction of the federal states.

Austria's bicameral legislature consists of the National Council and the Federal Council

The Austrian Parliament meets in the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. In specific cases, both houses convene as the Federal Assembly, a body whose function is mostly ceremonial in nature. The Federal Assembly is responsible for the swearing-in of the Federal President and can also call a referendum on the removal of the president from office.

While the National Council is the dominant chamber, the Federal Council does have some powers. It has to approve every new law decided by the National Council, and in some situations, such as legislation that imposes limits on the competencies of the provinces, Federal Council approval is mandatory. However, in most cases, the National Council can overrule the Federal Council's refusal to approve, and the decisions of the Federal Council can only delay legislation.

The Federal Council is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament

The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral federal legislature, consisting of two chambers: the National Council and the Federal Council. The Federal Council, or Bundesrat, is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament. It represents the nine States of Austria at the federal level.

The Bundesrat has its seat at the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna. The 61 members of the Federal Council are elected according to proportional representation by each of the Austrian states' legislatures (Landtage) for 5- to 6-year terms. The composition of the Bundesrat changes after every state election and the distribution of seats in the Austrian Landtage. The second-largest faction of the particular Landtag has the right to designate at least one deputy. The number of representatives delegated by each Bundesland (state within the country) ranges between three and twelve, depending on its population as ascertained by a regular census and fixed by presidential decree.

The deputies may ally along party lines and form parliamentary groups, which must meet a quorum of five seats. Currently, the MPs of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), and The Greens form political groups in the Bundesrat. Although there is a NEOS member, political groups require 5 members. The President of the Federal Council is nominated by the largest party of each state in semi-yearly intervals.

The Federal Council is made up of a president, who is elected for a term of six months, and two vice-presidents. While the Bundesrat can be compared with an upper house or a senate, it is far less powerful than the National Council. Although it has to approve every new law decided for by this lower chamber, the latter can, in most cases, overrule the Federal Council's refusal to approve.

In most cases, a Federal Council's veto is just suspensive, meaning the National Council can override it, passing the law again by an ordinary resolution of at least half of its members. Therefore, the decisions of the Bundesrat can only delay legislation. However, the Federal Council enjoys absolute veto powers over bills intended to alter the powers of either the states or of the Federal Council itself.

The National Council is the dominant chamber

The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral federal legislature, consisting of two chambers: the National Council and the Federal Council. The National Council is the dominant chamber, and consequently, the terms Parliament and National Council are often used synonymously.

The National Council is composed of 183 members, elected through proportional representation in a general election. The legislative period lasts five years, and elections are held earlier if the National Council prematurely dissolves. While the Federal Council is elected indirectly through the provincial assemblies of the nine States of the Federal Republic, the National Council is elected directly in general elections.

The National Council is the more powerful of the two chambers. While the Federal Council can approve or reject new laws decided by the National Council, the National Council can overrule the Federal Council's refusal to approve in most cases. The Federal Council only possesses a dilatory right of veto, which can be overridden by the National Council. However, the Federal Council has absolute veto power over bills intended to alter the powers of the states or the Federal Council itself.

The predominance of the National Council is such that Austrians frequently refer to it as "parliament" instead of the parliament as a whole. The National Council can force a bill into law even if the Federal Council rejects it, as long as the bill does not amend the constitution to curtail the states' rights or pertain to the organisation of the legislature. Therefore, the Federal Council has very little power to prevent the adoption of legislation, and it rarely exercises its stalling power.

The National Council is also the chamber where Austrian federal legislation always originates, and it can force the resignation of the federal cabinet through a motion of no confidence.

The Austrian Parliament meets in the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna

The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral federal legislature, consisting of two chambers: the National Council and the Federal Council. The Austrian Parliament meets in the Austrian Parliament Building in Vienna.

The Austrian Parliament Building is located on the Vienna Ring Road. Due to a renovation of the building from 2017 to 2022, the Federal Council met in the Redoute Wing of the Hofburg Palace. The National Council met in a chamber formerly used by its budget committee.

The Austrian Parliament is governed according to the principles of representative democracy and the rule of law. The National Council is the dominant chamber and, consequently, the terms Parliament and National Council are often used synonymously. The 183 members of the National Council are elected through proportional representation in a general election. The legislative period lasts five years, and elections may be held earlier if the National Council prematurely dissolves.

The Federal Council is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament, representing the nine States of Austria at the federal level. The 61 members of the Federal Council are elected according to proportional representation by each of the Austrian state legislatures for five- to six-year terms. The composition of the Federal Council changes after every state election and the distribution of seats in the Austrian Landtage.

The Federal Assembly is a third parliamentary body formed by the National Council and the Federal Council in a joint session. It convenes only rarely, for instance, to witness the inauguration of the Federal President.

The Federal Assembly is a third parliamentary body formed by the National Council and the Federal Council in joint session

The Austrian Parliament is a bicameral federal legislature, consisting of two chambers: the National Council and the Federal Council. In specific cases, both houses convene as the Federal Assembly, a third parliamentary body. The Federal Assembly is largely a ceremonial institution, responsible for the swearing-in of the Federal President. It also has the power to call a referendum on the removal of the president from office, bring the president before the Constitutional Court if it is deemed that the president violated the constitution, and is ultimately responsible for declaring war.

The Federal Assembly convenes only rarely, for instance, to witness the inauguration of the Federal President. However, under exceptional circumstances, the Austrian constitution bestows significant responsibilities upon the Federal Assembly. For example, it would play a pivotal role in the hypothetical impeachment of a Federal President.

The Federal Council is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament, representing the nine States of Austria at the federal level. It is far less powerful than the National Council, which can, in most cases, overrule the Federal Council's refusal to approve new laws. The Federal Council's approval is mandatory in the following cases:

• Constitutional laws or regulations limiting the competencies of the federal states.
• Laws relating to the rights of the Federal Council itself.
• Treaties concerning the jurisdiction of the federal states.

The National Council is the dominant (or 'lower') house in the Austrian Parliament, and consequently, the terms Parliament and National Council are commonly used synonymously. The legislative period lasts five years, and elections are held earlier if the National Council prematurely moves for its own dissolution. The 183 members of the National Council are elected through proportional representation in a general election.

The Federal Assembly is formed by the National Council and the Federal Council in a joint session. This joint session brings together the members of both houses of Parliament, reflecting the distribution of seats in the Austrian Landtage.

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