<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Austria<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Austria
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Austria
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republik Oesterreich
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Oesterreich
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> AU
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> federal republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Vienna
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 9 states (bundeslander, singular—bundesland); Burgenland, Karnten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, 26 October (1955)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by a Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 19 years of age, universal; compulsory for presidential elections
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992); election last held 24 May 1992 (next to be held 1996); results of second ballot—Thomas KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986); Vice Chancellor Erhard BUSEK (since 2 July 1991)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Legislative branch:</hi> bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)
<item><hi format=bold>Federal Council (Bundesrat):</hi> consists of 63 members representing each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each province having at least 3 representatives
<item><hi format=bold>National Council (Nationalrat):</hi> elections last held 7 October 1990 (next to be held October 1994); results—SPOE 43%, OEVP 32.1%, FPOE 16.6%, GAL 4.5%, KPOE 0.7%, other 3.1%; seats—(183 total) SPOE 80, OEVP 60, FPOE 33, GAL 10
<item><hi format=bold>Judicial branch:</hi> Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for civil and criminal cases, Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases, Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP), Erhard BUSEK, chairman; Freedom Party of Austria (FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; Green Alternative List (GAL), Peter PILZ, chairman; Liberal Forum (LF), Heidi SCHMIDT
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist); three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party (OEVP) representing business, labor, and farmers; OEVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action