# Minister of the Interior (Austria)

The minister of the interior (German: Bundesminister für Inneres) is the head and chief executive of the Ministry of the Interior as well as the ultimate authority in matters public security in Austria.
The incumbent minister of the Interior is Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). The minister is appointed by the president on advice of the chancellor.

## Powers and duties

The Federal Constitutional Law itself expressly designates the minister as the supreme authority in matters of public security (Oberste Sicherheitsbehörde) and places the police directorates immediately beneath the control of the minister. In this capacity, and as a supreme executive organ, the minister bears ultimate responsibly for the direction of law enforcement and the administration of security policy, and cannot be overruled by any other officer or body within the executive branch. The minister is assisted by a secretary general, who administers the day-to-day ministerial operations, and by a director general for public security, who serves as Austria's top career law enforcement officer and superintends most specialized police agencies.
The minister of the interior is the only constitutionally mandated minister position in Austria.

## List of ministers
### Austrian Empire

| No. | Minister of the Interior | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
| 1 | Kolowrat, FranzFranz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky (1778–1861) | 29 September 1826 | 20 March 1848 | 21 years, 173 days |
| 2 | Pillersdorf, FranzBaron Franz von Pillersdorf (1786–1862) | 20 March 1848 | 8 July 1848 | 110 days |
| 3 | Doblhoff, AntonBaron Anton von Doblhoff-Dier (1800–1872) | 8 July 1848 | 30 October 1848 | 114 days |
| 4 | Stadion, FranzFranz Stadion, Count von Warthausen (1806–1853) | 21 November 1848 | 28 July 1849 | 249 days |
| 5 | Bach, AlexanderBaron Alexander von Bach (1813–1893) | 28 July 1849 | 22 August 1859 | 10 years, 25 days |
| 6 | Gołuchowski, AgenorAgenor Romuald Gołuchowski (1812–1875) | 22 August 1859 | 13 December 1860 | 1 year, 113 days |
| 7 | Schmerling, AntonAnton von Schmerling (1806–1893) | 13 December 1860 | 26 June 1865 | 4 years, 195 days |
| 8 | Belcredi, RichardCount Richard Belcredi (1823–1902) | 27 July 1865 | 7 February 1867 | 1 year, 226 days |
| 9 | Beust, FriedrichFriedrich Ferdinand von Beust (1809–1886) | 7 February 1867 | 7 March 1867 | 28 days |
| 10 | Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895) | 7 March 1867 | 30 December 1867 | 298 days |

### Cisleithania

| No. | Minister of the Interior | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
| 1 | Giskra, CarlCarl Giskra (1820–1879) | 1 January 1868 | 22 March 1870 | 2 years, 80 days |
| 2 | Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895) | 14 April 1870 | 6 February 1871 | 298 days |
| 3 | Hohenwart, KarlCount Karl Sigmund von Hohenwart (1824–1899) | 7 February 1871 | 30 October 1871 | 265 days |
| 4 | Holzgethan, LudwigBaron Ludwig von Holzgethan (1800–1876) Acting | 30 October 1871 | 24 November 1871 | 25 days |
| 5 | Zollheim, JosefJosef Lasser von Zollheim [de] (1814–1879) | 25 November 1871 | 5 July 1878 | 6 years, 222 days |
| 6 | Auersperg, AdolfPrince Adolf of Auersperg (1821–1885) | 5 July 1878 | 15 February 1879 | 225 days |
| - | Stremayr, KarlKarl von Stremayr (1823–1904) Acting | 15 February 1879 | 12 August 1879 | 178 days |
| (2) | Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895) | 12 August 1879 | 11 November 1893 | 14 years, 91 days |
| - | Stremayr, KarlKarl von Stremayr (1823–1904) Acting | 12 August 1879 | 16 February 1880 | 188 days |
| - | Eybesfeld, SigmundSigmund Conrad von Eybesfeld [de] (1821–1898) Acting | 16 February 1880 | 5 November 1885 | 5 years, 262 days |
| - | Frankenthurn, PaulPaul Gautsch von Frankenthurn (1851–1918) Acting | 5 November 1885 | 11 November 1893 | 8 years, 6 days |
| 6 | Bacquehem, OlivierOlivier Marquis de Bacquehem [de] (1847–1917) | 11 November 1893 | 18 June 1895 | 1 year, 219 days |
| 7 | Kielmansegg, ErichCount Erich Kielmansegg (1847–1923) | 18 June 1895 | 30 September 1895 | 104 days |
| 8 | Badeni, KasimirCount Kasimir Felix Badeni (1846–1909) | 30 September 1895 | 28 November 1897 | 2 years, 59 days |
| 9 | Frankenthurn, PaulPaul Gautsch von Frankenthurn (1851–1918) | 28 November 1897 | 5 March 1898 | 97 days |
| 10 | Thun, FranzFranz, Prince of Thun and Hohenstein (1847–1916) | 5 March 1898 | 2 October 1899 | 1 year, 211 days |
| 11 | Koerber, ErnestErnest von Koerber (1850–1919) | 2 October 1899 | 21 December 1899 | 80 days |
| 12 | Stummer, JosefJosef Stummer [cs] (1834–1903) | 21 December 1899 | 18 January 1900 | 1 year, 0 days |
| (11) | Koerber, ErnestErnest von Koerber (1850–1919) | 18 January 1900 | 27 December 1904 | 4 years, 344 days |
| 13 | Bylandt-Rheidt, ArturArtur Bylandt-Rheidt [de] (1854–1915) | 1 January 1905 | 30 April 1906 | 1 year, 119 days |
| 14 | Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, KonradPrince Konrad of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1863–1918) | 2 May 1906 | 28 May 1906 | 26 days |
| 15 | Bienerth-Schmerling, RichardCount Richard von Bienerth-Schmerling (1863–1918) | 2 June 1906 | 7 November 1908 | 2 years, 158 days |
| 16 | Haerdtl, GuidoBaron Guido von Haerdtl [de] (1859–1928) | 15 November 1908 | 9 January 1911 | 2 years, 55 days |
| 17 | Wickenburg, MaximilianMax Wickenburg [de] (1857–1918) | 9 January 1911 | 28 October 1911 | 292 days |
| 18 | von Heinold-Udynski, KarlKarl Heinold [cs] (1862–1943) | 3 November 1911 | 30 November 1915 | 4 years, 27 days |
| (14) | Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, KonradPrince Konrad of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1863–1918) | 30 November 1915 | 29 August 1916 | 273 days |
| 19 | Handel, ErasmusErasmus von Handel [de] (1860–1928) | 29 August 1916 | 21 October 1916 | 53 days |
| 20 | Schwartzenau, ErwinErwin Schwartzenau [de] (1858–1926) | 31 October 1916 | 13 December 1916 | 43 days |
| (19) | Handel, ErasmusErasmus von Handel [de] (1860–1928) | 20 December 1916 | 23 June 1917 | 185 days |
| 21 | Toggenburg, FriedrichFriedrich von Toggenburg [de] (1860–1928) | 23 June 1917 | 11 June 1918 | 353 days |
| 22 | Gayer, EdmundEdmund von Gayer [de] (1860–1952) | 11 June 1918 | 22 July 1918 | 41 days |
| (21) | Gayer, EdmundEdmund von Gayer [de] (1860–1952) | 25 July 1918 | 11 November 1918 | 109 days |

### First Republic

| No. | Minister of the Interior | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Mataja, HeinrichHeinrich Mataja (1877–1937) | 30 October 1918 | 15 March 1919 | 136 days | CS | Renner I Cabinet |
| 2 | Renner, KarlKarl Renner (1870–1950) | 15 March 1919 | 9 May 1919 | 55 days | SDAPÖ | Renner II Cabinet |
| 3 | Eldersch, MatthiasMatthias Eldersch (1869–1931) | 9 May 1919 | 7 July 1920 | 1 year, 59 days | SDAPÖ | Renner II–III |
| 4 | Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944) | 7 July 1920 | 20 November 1920 | 136 days | Independent | Mayr I Cabinet |
| 5 | Glanz, EgonEgon Glanz [de] (1880–1945) | 20 November 1920 | 7 April 1921 | 138 days | Independent | Mayr II Cabinet |
| - | Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944) Acting | 7 April 1921 | 23 April 1921 | 16 days | Independent | Mayr II Cabinet |
| 6 | Ramek, RudolfRudolf Ramek (1881–1941) | 23 April 1921 | 21 June 1921 | 59 days | CS | Mayr II Cabinet |
| 7 | Waber, LeopoldLeopold Waber (1875–1945) | 21 June 1921 | 16 January 1922 | 209 days | GDVP | Schober I Cabinet |
| - | Schober, JohannJohann Schober (1874–1932) Acting | 16 January 1922 | 26 January 1922 | 10 days | Independent | Schober I Cabinet |
| - | Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944) Acting | 26 January 1922 | 27 January 1922 | 1 day | Independent | Breisky Cabinet |
| - | Schober, JohannJohann Schober (1874–1932) Acting | 27 January 1922 | 31 May 1922 | 124 days | Independent | Schober II Cabinet |
| 8 | Frank, FelixFelix Frank (1874–1932) | 31 May 1922 | 17 April 1923 | 321 days | GDVP | Seipel I Cabinet |
| 9 | Seipel, IgnazIgnaz Seipel (1874–1932) | 17 April 1923 | 22 November 1924 | 1 year, 219 days | CS | Seipel II–III |
| (6) | Ramek, RudolfRudolf Ramek (1881–1941) | 22 November 1924 | 20 October 1926 | 59 days | CS | Ramek I Cabinet–II |
| (9) | Seipel, IgnazIgnaz Seipel (1874–1932) | 20 October 1926 | 4 May 1929 | 2 years, 196 days | CS | Seipel II–III Ramek I–II Seipel IV–V |
| 10 | Streeruwitz, ErnstErnst Streeruwitz (1874–1932) | 4 May 1929 | 26 September 1929 | 145 days | CS | Streeruwitz Cabinet |
| 11 | Streeruwitz, ErnstVinzenz Schumy [de] (1878–1962) | 26 September 1929 | 30 September 1930 | 1 year, 4 days | Landbund | Schober III Cabinet |
| 12 | Starhemberg, ErnstErnst Rüdiger Starhemberg (1878–1962) | 30 September 1930 | 4 December 1930 | 65 days | Heimatblock | Vaugoin Cabinet |
| 13 | Winkler, FranzFranz Winkler [de] (1890–1945) | 4 December 1930 | 20 May 1932 | 1 year, 168 days | Landbund | Ender Cabinet Buresch I Cabinet–II |
| 14 | Bachinger, FranzFranz Bachinger [de] (1892–1938) | 20 May 1932 | 10 May 1933 | 355 days | Landbund | Dollfuss I Cabinet |
| (11) | Streeruwitz, ErnstVinzenz Schumy [de] (1878–1962) | 10 May 1933 | 23 September 1933 | 136 days | Landbund | Dollfuss I Cabinet |
| 15 | Kerber, RobertRobert Kerber [de] (1884–1977) | 23 September 1933 | 30 July 1934 | 310 days | CS | Dollfuss II Cabinet |
| 16 | Fey, EmilEmil Fey (1886–1938) | 30 July 1934 | 29 October 1935 | 1 year, 91 days | Heimatblock | Dollfuss II Cabinet |
| 17 | Baar, EduardEduard Baar-Baarenfels [de] (1885–1967) | 29 October 1935 | 3 November 1936 | 1 year, 5 days | VF | Schuschnigg I Cabinet–II |
| 18 | Schuschnigg, KurtKurt Schuschnigg (1897–1977) | 3 November 1936 | 6 November 1936 | 3 days | VF | Schuschnigg II Cabinet |
| 19 | Glaise, EdmundEdmund Glaise-Horstenau (1882–1946) | 6 November 1936 | 16 February 1938 | 1 year, 102 days | VF | Schuschnigg III Cabinet |
| 20 | Seyß, ArthurArthur Seyß-Inquart (1892–1946) | 16 February 1938 | 13 March 1938 | 25 days | DNSAP | Schuschnigg IV Cabinet Seyss-Inquart Cabinet |

### Second Republic

| No. | Minister of the Interior | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Honner, FranzFranz Honner [de] (1893–1964) | 27 April 1945 | 20 December 1945 | 237 days | KPÖ | Renner IV Cabinet |
| 2 | Helmer, OskarOskar Helmer (1893–1964) | 20 December 1945 | 16 July 1959 | 13 years, 208 days | SPÖ | Figl I Cabinet–II–III Raab I Cabinet–II |
| 3 | Afritsch, JosefJosef Afritsch (1901–1964) | 16 July 1959 | 27 March 1963 | 3 years, 254 days | SPÖ | Raab III Cabinet–II Gorbach I Cabinet |
| 4 | Olah, FranzFranz Olah (1910–2009) | 27 March 1963 | 21 September 1964 | 1 year, 178 days | SPÖ | Gorbach II Cabinet |
| 5 | Czettel, HansHans Czettel [de] (1923–1980) | 21 September 1964 | 19 April 1966 | 1 year, 210 days | SPÖ | Klaus I Cabinet |
| 6 | Hetzenauer, FranzFranz Hetzenauer [de] (1911–2006) | 19 April 1966 | 19 January 1968 | 1 year, 275 days | ÖVP | Klaus II Cabinet |
| 7 | Soronics, FranzFranz Soronics [de] (1920–2009) | 19 January 1968 | 21 April 1970 | 2 years, 92 days | ÖVP | Klaus II Cabinet |
| 8 | Rösch, OttoOtto Rösch (1917–1995) | 21 April 1970 | 8 June 1977 | 7 years, 48 days | SPÖ | Kreisky I Cabinet–II–III |
| 9 | Lanc, ErwinErwin Lanc (born 1930) | 8 June 1977 | 24 May 1983 | 5 years, 350 days | SPÖ | Kreisky III Cabinet–II |
| 10 | Blecha, KarlKarl Blecha [de] (born 1933) | 24 May 1983 | 2 February 1989 | 5 years, 254 days | SPÖ | Sinowatz Cabinet Vranitzky I Cabinet–II |
| 11 | Löschnak, FranzFranz Löschnak (born 1940) | 2 February 1989 | 6 April 1995 | 6 years, 63 days | SPÖ | Vranitzky II–III–IV |
| 12 | Einem, CasparCaspar Einem (1948–2021) | 6 April 1995 | 28 January 1997 | 1 year, 297 days | SPÖ | Vranitzky IV Cabinet–II |
| 13 | Schlögl, KarlKarl Schlögl (1924–2007) | 28 January 1997 | 2 March 2000 | 3 years, 34 days | SPÖ | Klima Cabinet |
| 14 | Strasser, ErnstErnst Strasser (born 1956) | 2 March 2000 | 11 December 2004 | 4 years, 284 days | ÖVP | Schüssel I Cabinet–II |
| – | Platter, GüntherGünther Platter (born 1954) Acting | 11 December 2004 | 22 December 2004 | 11 days | ÖVP | Schüssel II Cabinet |
| 15 | Prokop, LieseLiese Prokop (1941–2006) | 22 December 2004 | 31 December 2006 † | 2 years, 9 days | ÖVP | Schüssel II Cabinet |
| – | Schüssel, WolfgangWolfgang Schüssel (born 1945) Acting | 2 January 2007 | 11 January 2007 | 9 days | ÖVP | Schüssel II Cabinet |
| 16 | Platter, GüntherGünther Platter (born 1954) | 11 January 2007 | 30 June 2008 | 171 days | ÖVP | Gusenbauer Cabinet |
| – | Molterer, WilhelmWilhelm Molterer (born 1955) Acting | 30 June 2008 | 1 July 2008 | 1 day | ÖVP | Gusenbauer Cabinet |
| 17 | Fekter, MariaMaria Fekter (born 1956) | 1 July 2008 | 21 April 2011 | 2 years, 294 days | ÖVP | Gusenbauer Cabinet Faymann I Cabinet |
| 18 | Mikl, JohannaJohanna Mikl-Leitner (born 1964) | 21 April 2011 | 21 April 2016 | 5 years, 0 days | ÖVP | Faymann I Cabinet–II |
| 19 | Sobotka, WolfgangWolfgang Sobotka (born 1956) | 21 April 2016 | 18 December 2017 | 1 year, 241 days | ÖVP | Faymann II Cabinet Kern Cabinet |
| 20 | Kickl, HerbertHerbert Kickl (born 1968) | 18 December 2017 | 20 May 2019 | 1 year, 153 days | FPÖ | Kurz I Cabinet |
| 21 | Ratz, EckartEckart Ratz (born 1953) | 22 May 2019 | 3 June 2019 | 12 days | Independent | Kurz I Cabinet |
| 22 | Peschorn, WolfgangWolfgang Peschorn (born 1965) | 3 June 2019 | 7 January 2020 | 218 days | Independent | Bierlein Cabinet |
| 23 | Nehammer, KarlKarl Nehammer (born 1972) | 7 January 2020 | 6 December 2021 | 1 year, 333 days | ÖVP | Kurz II Cabinet Schallenberg Cabinet |
| 24 | Karner, GerhardGerhard Karner (born 1967) | 6 December 2021 | incumbent | 3 years, 100 days | ÖVP | Nehammer Cabinet Stocker Cabinet |