Omari Gates
Austrian politics operates within a federal semi-presidential republic framework, with a chancellor as the head of government and a president as the head of state. The Austrian government is formed of twelve Federal Ministries, with the Federal Government appointed by the Federal President. The parliamentary system of government has resulted in a new form of division of power between Parliament and the Government, with the parliamentary majority and the Federal Government on one side and the Opposition on the other. The most recent government was sworn in on 27 February 2025, with Christian Stocker of the People's Party (OeVP) taking over as chancellor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Coalition Formation | 27 February 2025 |
| Coalition Members | Conservative People's Party (ÖVP), Social Democrats (SPÖ), and Neos |
| Coalition Leader | Christian Stocker |
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What You'll Learn
The Austrian Constitution
The Federal President is elected and holds legal and political powers, including the appointment of the Federal Cabinet. The Federal Cabinet holds powers such as instructing the administration and holds accountability for federal ministers. The Chancellor, who does not hold decisional authority, presides over the cabinet meetings, which consist of federal ministers and their respective state secretaries.
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Coalition governments
On February 27, 2025, Austria's new coalition government was formed, ending a record five-month wait for a new administration. The coalition comprises the People's Party (OeVP), the Social Democrats (SPOe), and NEOS. Christian Stocker of the People's Party (OeVP) became chancellor, although he wasn't running for the position when Austrians voted in September 2024 and had not previously served in a national government. Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler became the new vice chancellor, and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger took over as foreign minister.
This coalition government was formed after the September 29, 2024 parliamentary election resulted in a stalemate. The Freedom Party of Austria, led by Herbert Kickl, won the election with 28.8% of the vote, but all other parties refused to work with them due to their far-right stance. The Austrian president, Alexander Van der Bellen, tasked incumbent chancellor Karl Nehammer with forming a new government, but Nehammer's conservative Austrian People's Party also refused to collaborate with the Freedom Party.
In Austria, the Federal Government is appointed by the Federal President, who is not obligated to install a new government immediately after National Council elections. Typically, the old government resigns and continues in office until a new government is appointed. The parliamentary majority is closely linked to the Federal Government, and government offices are often filled by top officials from the parties that form the parliamentary majority. This interconnection between the government and the parliamentary majority influences the likelihood of the government's bills receiving majority support in the National Council.
Austria's current coalition government, led by Chancellor Stocker, includes representatives from the People's Party (OeVP), the Social Democrats (SPOe), and NEOS. This coalition formation mirrors historical precedents, such as the provisional national assembly in 1918, which appointed a state government with Karl Renner as head of the State Chancellery. Renner's ministry included representatives from the Social Democrats, the Christian Social Party (CS), and the German Nationalists (Greater Germans). Subsequently, in 1945, Renner once again played a pivotal role in establishing a provisional Austrian national unity government, setting the stage for the country's post-war Federal Government.
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The role of the Federal President
On 27 February 2025, Austria's new government took office after a record five-month wait. The Federal President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, swore in the new government. The Federal President has a variety of roles and responsibilities, which are outlined below.
The Federal President is the head of state of the Republic of Austria and is elected by the Austrian people for a term of six years. The office of the president was established in 1920 by the Constituent National Assembly of the first republic following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg monarchy in 1918. The president is the only representative of the entire country who is elected directly by the population.
The Federal President shares responsibilities with the Federal Government as the head of the Administration. The Federal President appoints the Federal Chancellor, has the power to dismiss the Government, and can dissolve Parliament on the Government's proposal. The Federal President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and can issue emergency decrees in exceptional circumstances, such as natural disasters or the outbreak of war. They also have the power to reject proposed ministers and appoint judges and civil servants.
In addition to these powers, the Federal President is 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, competence in all spheres of life, and non-partisanship are seen as essential prerequisites for a presidential candidate.
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The National Council
The President of the National Council is a representative of moderate significance, wielding less power than the Chancellor or even most federal ministers. The President of the National Council thus serves mostly as a moderator of parliamentary debate. At the beginning of a legislative period, the Members of the National Council elect from among themselves their President as well as the Second and Third Presidents. The President directs the business of the National Council, represents it externally, convenes its sittings and chairs them. In practice, this happens in rotation with the Second and Third Presidents.
Bills passed by the National Council are sent to the Federal Council for corroboration. If the Federal Council approves of the bill or does nothing for eight weeks, the bill has succeeded. If the Federal Council vetoes the bill, the National Council may still force it into law by passing it again; a National Council resolution overruling a Federal Council objection has to meet a higher quorum than a regular resolution.
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Austria's Chancellor
As of February 27, 2025, Austria's new chancellor is Christian Stocker, who leads the Peoples' Party (OeVP). Stocker's appointment follows a record five-month wait for a new government, during which time Alexander Schallenberg served as interim chancellor.
Stocker, 64, assumes the role of chancellor despite not running for the position in the September 2024 election and having never served in a national government. The new government is a coalition between the Peoples' Party, the Social Democrats (SPOe), and NEOS. The Social Democrats' leader, Andreas Babler, becomes the new vice chancellor, while NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger takes over as foreign minister.
The previous chancellor, Karl Nehammer, resigned in January 2025 after coalition talks collapsed. Nehammer's conservative Austrian People's Party, alongside Neos and the centre-left Social Democrats, had been attempting to form a three-party ruling coalition after the right-wing Freedom Party won the September 2024 national election. However, negotiations failed, with Nehammer citing irreconcilable differences on key issues and the growing influence of "destructive forces" within the Social Democrats.
The role of chancellor in Austria has a long history. Initially, the title was used to refer to the German arch chancellor, who was usually a Roman Catholic archbishop of Mainz. After the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the modern office of chancellor was established, with Otto von Bismarck becoming the first Bundeskanzler ("Federal Chancellor") in 1867. Following the unification of the German Empire in 1871, the title was changed to Reichskanzler ("Imperial Chancellor").
In contemporary Austria, the chancellor presides over cabinet meetings as the first among equals without decisional authority. The cabinet, also known as the Council of Ministers, is composed of the federal ministers who head each of the twelve Federal Ministries. Each minister may be supported by one or more state secretaries, who participate in cabinet meetings but are not considered members of the government and do not have voting rights.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria's new government took office on February 27, 2025, after a record 5-month wait.
Christian Stocker of the Peoples’ Party (OeVP) is the new chancellor.
Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler is the new vice chancellor.
