Source: http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2017.htm
Timestamp: 2019-09-17 01:27:21
Document Index: 38461717

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 141', 'Art. 141', 'Art. 27', 'Art. 29', 'Art. 29', 'Art. 56', 'Art. 141', 'Art. 141', 'Art. 26', 'Art. 59', 'Art. 141', 'Art. 141', 'Art. 30', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57', 'Art. 57']

﻿ IPU PARLINE database: AUSTRIA (Nationalrat), Full text
Chamber name (generic / translated) Nationalrat / National Council
Affiliation date(s) 1890 -
President Wolfgang Sobotka (M)
Notes Elected on 20 Dec. 2017.
Secretary General Harald Dossi (M)
Notes 1 March 2012 -
Members (statutory / current number) 183 / 183 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN
Women (current number) 63 (34.43%)
Mode of designation directly elected 183
Last renewal dates 15 October 2017
Address Nationalrat
Phone (431) 401 10-0
Electoral law 10 July 1992
Last amendment: 30.12.2016
Constituencies The 9 multi-member constituencies (from 7 to 36 seats each) correspond to the country's provinces (Länder); seats are allotted to each based on population. The provinces are broken down into 43 regional constituencies.
Voting system Proportional: Closed party-list system with proportional representation applying the Hare method to the regional and provincial constituencies, and the d'Hondt method at the federal level; 4 per cent threshold for parties to gain representation.
Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the "next-in-line" candidate on the list of the party which held the seat.
Voter requirements - age: 16 years old on election day
- Disqualifications: unconditional imprisonment exceeding one year in case of crimes committed against the Republic or related to elections or conditional imprisonment exceeding five years for other offences. The disqualification expires after the prison sentence term has been completed and any preventive measures involving the deprivation of liberty have been carried out or lifted.
Citizens overseas can vote without restriction.
- age: 18 on election day
Ineligibility: unconditional imprisonment exceeding six months in case of crimes committed with intent or conditional imprisonment exceeding one year. The disqualification is valid for six months after the sentence has been completed and any preventive measures involving the deprivation of liberty have been carried out or lifted.
Incompatibilities - Federal President
- Executives of stock companies, private limited companies, foundations or savings banks
- Judges, public prosecutors, civil servants in the police force as well as in other public security services, civil servants in the military service
- Employees in the fiscal or land assessment service are generally prohibited from continuing their service assignments, but exceptions may be possible.
Candidacy requirements - nomination by a party
- support of three outgoing National Council members or by 100 to 500 registered voters (depending on the size of provincial constituencies)
- submission of the list of candidates and payment of 435 euros to the provincial election authorities
- the number of candidates put forward by each party cannot exceed twice the number of seats to be filled
- each candidate can appear on only one regional party
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 15 October 2017
Timing and scope of renewal As in previous elections, no party won an outright majority in the 183-member National Council in these snap elections called one year before they were constitutionally due. The People's Party (ÖVP), led by Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, came first with 62 seats, winning 11 more than the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), led by Prime Minister Christian Kern. The Freedom Party (FPÖ), led by Mr. Heinz-Christian Strache, closely followed.
On 20 October, President Alexander Van der Bellen (independent, supported by the Greens) tasked ÖVP leader Kurz with forming a new government. On 24 October, Mr. Kurz announced that he would invite the FPÖ for coalition talks, and on 18 December, he was sworn in as Prime Minister of an ÖVP-FPÖ coalition government, thereby becoming the youngest (31 years old) head of government in the European Union. The ÖVP and FPÖ had previously formed a coalition government in 2000.
The 2017 elections followed presidential elections in 2016. Prime Minister Werner Faymann (SPÖ) resigned in May 2016 and was succeeded by Mr. Kern. In May 2017, ÖVP leader Reinhold Mitterlehner resigned, citing infighting in the government, and was succeeded by Mr. Kurz. The government collapsed shortly afterwards, triggering early elections in October. During the election campaign, the major parties focused on migration, border control, the reduction of benefits for immigrants and tax reforms.
Date of previous elections: 29 September 2013
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 9 November 2017
Expected date of next elections: October 2022
Number of seats at stake: 183 (full renewal renewal)
Number of candidates: 2,047
Names of parties in government: People's Party (ÖVP), Freedom Party (FPÖ)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 9 November 2017
Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Elisabeth Köstinger (People's Party, ÖVP)
Round no 1 15 October 2017
Valid votes 6'400'998
Neos-New Austria (NEOS)
Peter Pilz List (PILZ)
National Council (09.11.2017)
Title Speaker of the National Council
Term - Duration: 5 years (term of Chamber)
- Reasons for termination of the term: resignation, loss of mandate as a member of the Chamber, dissolution of the Chamber, appointment to another office or position, conviction for illegal activities, death.
- The Speaker cannot be removed by members of the Chamber before the end of his/her mandate.
- In the case of dissolution of the Chamber, the outgoing Speaker continues to act as Speaker.
Eligibility - Only members of the Chamber are eligible as Speaker, Second Speaker or Third Speaker
- The Speaker is not allowed to engage in paid employment during the term of office.
Voting system - There is a formal notification process for the candidate. The political parties represented in the Chamber may nominate a candidate for the post of the Speaker, the Second and Third Speakers according to their number of seats (i.e., the largest party nominates the candidate for Speaker).
- The candidate who receives the largest number of votes is declared elected.
Procedures / results - The outgoing Speaker presides over the Chamber during the voting.
- The outgoing Speaker and the Secretary General supervise the Chamber during the voting.
- The outgoing Speaker announces the results.
- The results cannot be challenged.
Status - The Speaker holds the third highest office in the State after the Federal President and the Chancellor.
- The Speaker of the Lower Chamber ranks higher in the hierarchy of State than the President of the Upper Chamber.
- Although the National Council and the Federal Council are separate bodies, their members form a third parliamentary body called the Federal Assembly. The Speaker of the National Council and the President of the Federal Council preside over the Federal Assembly alternately.
- The Speaker, the Second Speaker and the Third Speakers may jointly act as Head of State (Federal President) in case of the latter's prolonged absence.
- The Speaker is the ex officio Chair of the Parliamentary Investigating Committees. The Speaker may ask the Second or Third Speaker to assume his/her role in chairing Investigating Committee sittings
- In the absence of the Speaker, the Second or the Third Speaker assumes his/her role and duties.
Board - The Speaker is assisted by the Conference of Presidents.
- The Conference of Presidents is an advisory body.
- The Conference of Presidents consists of the Speaker, the Second Speaker and the Third Speaker of the National Council as well as the chairpersons of all parliamentary groups, including opposition groups. They automatically become members by virtue of their function in the National Council and serve a five-year term (term of Chamber).
Material facilities - A special allowance of a maximum of 17,000 euros per month.
- An official car
- Ten additional staff members: (chief of cabinet, press officer, political staff, secretaries and driver)
Organization of parliamentary business Organization of parliamentary business
- convene sessions,
- establish and modify the agenda, i.e. the programme and schedule of work,
- organize the debates and set speaking times,
- refer a text to committee for study,
- group amendments for debate and voting purposes.
Chairing of public sittings The Speaker may:
- open, adjourn and close sittings,
- interpret the rules or other regulations governing the functioning of the Chamber,
- ensure respect for provisions of the Constitution and the Standing Orders,
- make announcements concerning the Chamber,
- take disciplinary measures in the event of a disturbance or infringement of obligations to observe secrecy under the Information Rules Act and lift such measures,
- establish the list of speakers,
- give and withdraw permission to speak,
- select which amendments are to be debated,
- establish the order in which amendments are taken up,
- call for a vote,
- decide how a vote will be carried out,
- verify the voting procedure,
- check the quorum,
- repeat a vote in the event of irregularities,
- authenticate the adopted texts and the records of debates,
- give the floor outside the agenda and thus organize impromptu debates,
- decide on proposals to declassify or re-classify information,
- decide upon the level of access to classified information of Parliamentary Administration employees,
- determine, after consultation with the President's Conference, the number of persons to be designated by the parliamentary groups,
- decree, in consensus with the Chairperson of the Federal Council and after consultation with the respective President's Conferences, supplementary provisions in terms of the Information Rules Act.
Special powers The Speaker may:
- propose the Chamber's budget,
- recruit, assign and promote staff,
- represent the Chamber in its relations with foreign parliaments and bodies,
- be responsible for safety and discipline in the Chamber and may call in the police in the event of a dispute in the Chamber,
- organize the services of the parliament.
The Second and Third Speaker may participate in proposing the Chamber's budget.
Start of the mandate · In case of a new legislative period: on the day of the first meeting of the National Council. In the event of a change of members during the same legislature, when the letter of credentials has been deposited with the Parliamentary Administration (S. 9 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council). Procedure (S. 1 (1) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Constitutional Court only in case of challenge (Art. 141 (1) (a) and (h) of the Federal Constitutional Law)
· Procedure (Art. 141 (1) (a) and (h) of the Federal Constitutional Law and S. 67 to S. 71 (a) of the Constitutional Court Act)
End of the mandate · On the day when the newly elected Parliament meets (Art. 27 (1) and 29 (3) of the Federal Constitutional Law; for early dissolution by the National Council, see Art. 29 (2) and (3) of the Federal Constitutional Law). In case of early dissolution by the Federal President, the mandate ends on the day of early dissolution (Art. 29 (1) of the Federal Constitutional Law). For the Presidents and the Main Committee, see S. 6 (1) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council.
Can MPs resign? Yes · Yes, of their own free will (see also Art. 56 (2) and (3) of the Federal Constitutional Law)
· Procedure (S. 2 (8) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a)	Loss of mandate by judicial decision: decision by the Constitutional Court:
- Failure to take the oath, to take it in due form and without reservations (Art. 141 (c) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 2 (1) (1.), (2), (3), and (5), and S. 4 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
- Loss of mandate for absence (Art. 141 (c) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 2 (1) (2.), (2), (3), and (5), and S. 11 (4) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
- Loss of eligibility (Art. 26 (4) and (5), and 141 (c) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 2 (1) (3.), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council, and S. 41 of the Federal Law on National Council Elections)
- Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (Art. 59 and 141 (c) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 2 (1) (4.) and (4) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council, S. 9 and 10 of the Incompatibility Law)
- Loss of mandate through election petition (Art. 141 (1) (a) and (h) and (2) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 2 (7) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council; see also Validation of mandates)
- General procedure (Art. 141 (1) of the Federal Constitutional Law)
2.	The Second President
3.	The Third President
4.	The Chairpersons of committees
5.	The Deputy Chairpersons of committees
6.	The secretaries of committees
Indemnities, facilities and services · Official passport (S. 1 (2) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council); diplomatic passport if requested
· Basic salary (S. 2, 3, and 5 of the Bundesbezügegesetz): The basic salary of 8,755.62 euros (as of January 2017) is paid 14 times a year according to the following percentages:
Members: 100 per cent (i.e. 8,755.62 euros)
Speaker: 210 per cent (i.e. about 18,380 euros)
Chairperson of a parliamentary group: 170 per cent (i.e. about 14,880 euros)
· No exemption from tax for basic salary. The allowances (see Travel and transport) are tax exempt.
· Pension scheme (Pensionskassenvorsorgegesetz)
(a) Secretariat (S. 10 (1) of the Bundesbezügegesetz, see also Travel and transport)
(b) Assistants (Art. 30 (3) to (6) of the Federal Constitutional Law, Parlamentsmitarbeiterinnen-und Parlamentsmitarbeitergesetz)
(c) Official car for the Presidents (S. 9 (1) of the Bundesbezügegesetz)
(d) Postal and telephone services within the parliament buildings
(e) Travel and transport (S. 10 (1) to (7), and 11 of the Bundesbezügegesetz)
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 57 (1) of the Constitution, S. 10 (1) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
· Derogations: responsibility to the National Council for statements, whether oral or in writing, made in the exercise of the MP's functions (see Discipline - offence or insult (S. 102 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council))
· Non-accountability takes effect (on the day when the mandate begins) and offers ( It does not offer), after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 57 (2) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 10 (2) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
· It applies only to criminal proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs only from arrest and from their homes being searched.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, MPs can be arrested (Art. 57 (2) and (5) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 10 (2) and (5) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council). Legal action can be taken if it is manifestly not connected with the political activity of the MP (Art. 57 (3) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 10 (3) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
· Inviolability is provided from the start to the end of the mandate (Art. 57 (6) of the Constitution, S. 10 (6) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted only with the consent of the National Council (Art. 57 (2) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 10 (2) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council):
- Competent authority: the National Council
- Procedure (Art. 57 (4) of the Federal Constitutional Law, S. 10 (4) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
· Parliament can suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members in cases of flagrante delicto (Art. 57 (5) of the Constitution, S. 10 (5) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
- Competent authority: the National Council; the corresponding Standing Committee (during recess)
- Procedure (Art. 57 (5) of the Constitution, S. 10 (5) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
Training · At the beginning of the legislative period, the Parliamentary Administration organises a "one-stop-shop" event and offers support for all Members of Parliament concerning IT-matters, incompatibility and transparency declarations, emolument questions, handling the internal database, and instructions on data security.
· There is no general handbook of parliamentary procedure, but there is a handbook on the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees.
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings (S. 11 (1) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council; see also S. 11 (2) to (4) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council).
· Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation (S. 2 (1) (2.) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council): loss of mandate (for the procedure, see Loss of mandate for absence)
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in S. 13 (2) and (3), and 101 to 104 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council, in S. 17 and 18 of the Information Rules Act., and in S. 6 (3), S. 21 (1) (4.), S. 41 and S. 54 of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees.
- Call to order if speaker roams wide of a question (S. 101 (1) and 103 (1) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council and S. 54 (1) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees.)
- Withdrawal of the right to speak (S. 101 (2), 102 (2), and 104 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council and S. 40 (2) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees)
- Call to order (S. 102 (1), and 103 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council and S. 54 (1) and (2) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees)
- Interruption (S. 102 (2), and 104 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
- Non-recognition for the rest of the sitting (S. 102 (3) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
- Suspension of the sitting (S. 13 (3) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
- Criminal liability for disclosing or using certain classified information in contravention of the Federal Information Rules Act (S. 18 of the Federal Act on Information Rules of the National Council and the Federal Council)
- Offence or insult (S. 102 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council): call to order, interruption, withdrawal of the right to speak, eventually with non-recognition for the rest of the sitting
· Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties (S. 13 (2) of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council): the Speaker
· Procedure (S. 101 to 103 (1), and 104 of the Federal Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council)
Persistent violation of the Information Rules Act by disclosing classified information inside or outside a sitting (S. 54 (2) and (3) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees): administrative fine in the amount of 500 to 1,000 euros
· Competent body to judge such cases (S. 54 (2) and (3) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees): chairperson  upon a motion of the Procedural Judge or of his/her own accord in the case of violation outside a sitting.
Competent body to impose penalties (S. 54 (5) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees): the Speaker
· Procedure (S. 54 (2) to (5) of the Rules of Procedure for Parliamentary Investigating Committees)
Code (rules) of conduct The Austrian Parliament does not have a code of conduct. However, there are various regulations concerning conflicts of interests. Regulations concerning incompatibility and transparency are laid down in the Austrian Federal Constitution (B-VG) and the Incompatibility and Transparency Act. While the incompatibility rules in the Federal Constitution concern public positions, the Incompatibility and Transparency Act regulates the admissibility of activities in the private and public sector.
Furthermore, members of parliament are fully subject to criminal liability for corruption (S. 304, Criminal Code), for accepting gains (S. 305, Criminal Code) and for accepting gains with the intent of being influenced (S. 306, Criminal Code) subject to the immunity rules, as well as to criminal liability for disclosing or using certain classified information in contravention of the Federal Information Rules Act (S. 18 of the Federal Act on Information Rules of the National Council and the Federal Council).
In the Parliamentary Investigating Committees an administrative fine in the amount of 500 to 1,000 euros can be imposed for persistent violation of the provisions of the Information Rules Act by the member of parliament.