Organisation und functions

The Federal Government is entrusted with the foremost administrative functions within the state. The Federal Government is made up of the Federal Chancellor, the Deputy Chancellor and the other Federal Ministers. Taken together they form the Federal Government, which is headed by the Federal Chancellor. The Federal Government passes its decisions unanimously. No provision is made for majority votes within the cabinet.

Appointment and Dismissal

The Chancellor and, on his recommendation, the other members of the Federal Government, are appointed by the Federal President.

No recommendation is required for the dismissal of the Federal Chancellor or the entire Federal Government. Individual members of the Federal Government are dismissed at the recommendation of the Federal Chancellor.

The members of the Federal Government are sworn in by the Federal President before they take office.

The Deputy Chancellor is empowered to substitute for the Federal Chancellor in all of his functions.

If a Federal Minister is temporarily incapacitated, the Federal President entrusts either another Federal Minister or a State Secretary seconded to the incapacitated minister with acting on his behalf.

The Federal Minister concerned is empowered to entrust another Federal Minister or a State Secretary with his authority to attend the meetings of the Council of the European Union and within this body to conduct negotiations and vote on specific issues.

In the event that the ‘Nationalrat’, the lower chamber of the Austrian Parliament, explicitly passes a vote of no confidence in the Federal Government or in an individual Federal Minister, then the Federal Government or the Federal Minister concerned must be dismissed.

The Nationalrat is also empowered to indict members of the Federal Government for infringements of the law before the Constitutional Court. If the Court finds that person guilty, he or she will be dismissed.

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