Austria

National Council Federal Council

Federal Council

Political system
Presidential-Parliamentary
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes
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Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Start of the parliamentary mandate for newly elected members
Other

Notes: MPs are indirectly elected. A member's mandate begins upon their delegation by their respective Federal Province.

Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
Not applicable
End of the parliamentary mandate
Other

Notes: On the day when the legislative period of the respective Provincial Parliament ends or on the day of early dissolution, but the Member remains in office until the new Members are elected.

Sources:

Constitution, art. 35(3)
Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the Federal Council, S. 3(1a) and (2)

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
Other

Notes:

The presidency of the Federal Council rotates among the federal provinces every six months, with the provinces taking turns in alphabetical order. The President is the Member ranking first on the list of Members delegated by the Province currently in the chair.

Sources: Austrian Federal Constitution, Article 36(2)

Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Not applicable
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Fourth
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
No
Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Not applicable

Notes: The Federal Council has no legislative period of its own but has been continuously in session since 1945. The composition of the Federal Council may change after every Provincial Parliaments’ election.

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
Yes
Speaker's term
6 Months
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
No information available

Notes:

The Federal Provinces take turns every six months, in alphabetical order, in taking the presidency of the Federal Council. The President is the Member ranking first on the list of Members delegated by the Province currently in the chair.

The presidency starts on 1st January or 1st July.

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
No

Notes: Members of the Federal Council enjoy the immunity of the Members of the Provincial Parliament that has delegated them

Sources: Federal Constitutional Law, art. 58

There is a Code of conduct for members
Yes

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
Yes
(2020)
Basic salary, per year
69,108 EUR
(2023)
Basic salary, per year in PPP
97,335
(2023)
Basic allowances
Click for historical data
Basic allowance in PPP
7,371
Names of the basic allowances

There are no real allowances, only remuneration of actual cost.

Members pay income tax on salaries
Yes
Members pay income tax on allowances
No
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
Yes
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
Yes

Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work

Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
No
Office at parliament
Yes
Constituency office
No
Housing
No
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
Yes

Notes:

Members of the Bundesrat are reimbursed for actual parliamentary expenses which may include expense for the constituency office, travel costs, office equipment, expenses for accommodation etc. up to 578.30 € per month (12 times a year) or more, depending on the travel time between their hometown and parliament.

There is an exception for provision of staff for leaders of Parliamentary Groups (factions) who can be reimbursed for their personal staff under specific legal conditions up to the annual amount of € 67,466.80.

Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes No
Committee Chair No No

Notes:

Speaker - EUR 127,282

First/Second Deputy Speaker - EUR 89,097

Heads of parliamentary groups - EUR 89,097

Salary of the Speaker
127,282 EUR
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
169,709
Parliament determines the amount of salaries
Yes
Name of the body (or bodies) in parliament which determines the amount

The amounts of the salaries and of the possible allowances are provided by law (Federal Emoluments Act) combined with a public announcement of the President of the Court of Audit.

There is an annual automatic rise depending on the inflation rate or the rise of common pensions. The lower rate out of these two percentages is taken.

Parliament determines the amount of allowances
Yes
Name of the body (or bodies) in parliament which determines the amount

The amounts of the salaries and of the possible allowances are provided by law (Federal Emoluments Act) combined with a public announcement of the President of the Court of Audit. There are no real allowances, only remunerations.

Name of the institution outside parliament which determines the amount
No information available
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
Yes
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Civil service salary scale

Notes: Remunerations are limited by law depending on the civil service salary scale.

Information on salaries and allowances on the parliamentary website

Federal Act on the Emoluments of Persons in Highest Federal Offices of Members of the National Council and of the Federal Council (Federal Emoluments Act) along with public announcements by the President of the Austrian Court of Audit.

Year data was last reported

2020

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Other

Notes: Members of the Federal Government can be members of the Federal Council, but this is unusual. Some Provinces state in their constitution that Members of the Province’s Government cannot be a member of parliament.

Number of members of the parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data
Members for whom data is available
61
(2021)
Percentage of members of parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
Click for historical data

Historical data for IPU membership

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Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No