eGovernment in Austria
January 2015
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Political Structure
Austria is a
federal republic
. Legislative and executive powers are divided between the
Federal Parliament and the nine Provincial Parliaments (
Länder
).
At federal level, legislative power is held by a bicameral
Federal Parliament
(National and
Federal Council). The
National Council
(
Nationalrat
) has 183 members elected for a period
of five years by proportional representation of the parties. The
Federal Council
(
Bundesrat
)
consists of 61 members elected by each of the provincial parliaments. The number of seats
for each of the nine
Länder
depends on their population (e.g. Lower Austria having the
highest population, holds most of the seats - twelve). The Federal Council reviews
legislation passed by the National Council and can delay but, hardly ever veto, its
enactment.
Executive power is held by the Federal Government, led by the
Federal Chancellor
,
answerable to the National Council. The Head of State is the
Federal President
who is
elected by popular vote for a six-year term. The Federal Presidency has a mainly
representing role and usually acts on the advice of the Government. The President
represents Austria, signs laws, convenes and concludes parliamentary sessions and under
certain conditions can dissolve Parliament. The President chooses the Federal Chancellor
customarily from the leading party in the National Council. The Vice-Chancellor and Federal
Ministers are chosen by the President on the advice of the Chancellor.
The Austrian Federal Constitution was adopted on 1 October 1920, revised in 1929, and
reinstated on 1 May 1945. Since then the Austrian Federal Constitution was regularly
revised and reassessed.
Austria became a member of the European Union on 1 January 1995.
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