President of the National Council (Austria)

Last updated
President of the National Council
Präsident des Nationalrates
Austria Bundesadler.svg
Walter Rosenkranz.jpg
since 24 October 2024
National Council of Austria
Style Mr. President
(when addressed in parliament)
StatusPrimary presiding officer
Member of National Council
Seat Austrian Parliament Building, Innere Stadt, Vienna
Nominator Political parties
AppointerNational Council
Constituting instrument Constitution of Austria
First holder Karl Seitz
Deputy Peter Haubner
Second President
Doris Bures
Third President
Website parlament.gv.at

The President of the National Council is the presiding officer of the National Council, the lower house of the Austrian Parliament.

Since October 2024, Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) has served as President of the National Council, Peter Haubner (ÖVP) as Second President, and Doris Bures (SPÖ) as Third President. The three presidents together form the Presidium of the National Council.

In the Austrian order of precedence, the president of the National Council places after the president and before the chancellor.

Election

The president, the second and the third president are elected by the majority of the National Council at the beginning of each legislative session.

The Presidium even remains active after the dissolution of the National Council, until the Council obtains its new elected leadership. This also applies if the President of the former legislative session has no mandate in the new session.

In the second republic it became a political practice that the most powerful party receives the president and the second and third most powerful party the second and third president.

Tasks and duties

The exact tasks of the President and his deputies are determined in the Nationalratsgeschäftsordnung. He is in charge of the administrative affairs of the National Council and creates a budget concept for the Council with the second and third President. The President is the representative of national council for the public and has to ensure moderation and balanced rights. He handles the Geschäftsordnung and has to guarantee for its observance (especially for the maintenance silence and order and the meeting hall), he exercises the Hausrecht in the Austrian Parliament Building and heads the parliamentary directorate.

The three Presidents and the parliamentary leaders together form the Präsidialkonferenz, a communicative organisation responsible for amiable cooperation under the parties within the Council.

The Presidium assumes the tasks of the Federal President in case of a longer during prevention or permanent suspension, for example because of death, a resignation or a deposition. This should ensure that overseeing tasks towards the Government and other duties are not lost.

Termination

List of officeholders

List of presidents

National Assembly

NameEntered officeLeft officeParty
Karl Seitz, President of the Provisional National Assembly21 October 19184 March 1919 SDAP
Jodok Fink/Johann Nepomuk Hauser, President21 October 19184 March 1919 CS
Franz Dinghofer, President21 October 19184 March 1919 GDVP
Karl Seitz, President of the Constituent National Assembly4 March 191910 November 1920 SDAP

First Austrian Republic

NameEntered officeLeft officeParty
Richard Weiskirchner 10 November 192019 November 1923 CS
Wilhelm Miklas 20 November 19236 December 1928 CS
Alfred Gürtler 13 December 19281 October 1930 CS
Matthias Eldersch 4 December 193020 April 1931 SDAP
Karl Renner 29 April 19314 March 1933 SDAP

Source: [1]

Second Republic

NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeParty
Leopold Kunschak 19 December 194513 March 1953 ÖVP
Felix Hurdes 18 March 19538 June 1959 ÖVP
Leopold Figl 9 June 19595 February 1962 ÖVP
Alfred Maleta 14 February 196230 March 1970 ÖVP
Karl Waldbrunner 31 March 19703 November 1971 SPÖ
Anton Benya 4 November 197116 December 1986 SPÖ
Leopold Gratz 17 December 198623 February 1989 SPÖ
Rudolf Pöder 28 February 19894 November 1990 SPÖ
Heinz Fischer 5 November 199019 December 2002 SPÖ
Andreas Khol 20 December 200229 October 2006 ÖVP
Barbara Prammer 30 October 20062 August 2014 SPÖ
Doris Bures 2 September 20148 November 2017 SPÖ
Elisabeth Köstinger 9 November 201717 December 2017 ÖVP
Wolfgang Sobotka 20 December 201724 October 2024 ÖVP
Walter Rosenkranz 24 October 2024present FPÖ

Source: [1]

List of second presidents

Doris Bures, Second President of the National Council Doris Bures Eroffnung Bahnhof Sankt Polten 2010.jpg
Doris Bures, Second President of the National Council

First Austrian Republic

NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeParty
Matthias Eldersch10. November 192014. Dezember 1920 SDAP
Karl Seitz 19201923 SDAP
Matthias Eldersch19231930 SDAP
Rudolf Ramek 19301933 CS

Second Republic

NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeParty
Johann Böhm 19451959 SPÖ
Franz Olah 19591961 SPÖ
Friedrich Hillegeist 19611962 SPÖ
Karl Waldbrunner19621970 SPÖ
Alfred Maleta19701975 ÖVP
Roland Minkowitsch19751986 ÖVP
Marga Hubinek19861990 ÖVP
Robert Lichal 19901994 ÖVP
Heinrich Neisser19941999 ÖVP
Thomas Prinzhorn 19992002 FPÖ
Heinz Fischer 20022004 SPÖ
Barbara Prammer 20042006 SPÖ
Michael Spindelegger 20062008 ÖVP
Fritz Neugebauer 20082013 ÖVP
Karlheinz Kopf 20132017 ÖVP
Doris Bures 20172024 SPÖ
Peter Haubner 2024present ÖVP

List of third presidents

Norbert Hofer, Third President of the National Council Norbert Hofer - FPO-Neujahrstreffen 2019.JPG
Norbert Hofer, Third President of the National Council

First Austrian Republic

NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeParty
Franz Dinghofer19201926 GDVP
Leopold Waber19261930 GDVP
Sepp Straffner 19301931 GDVP
Stephan Tauschitz 19311932 LBd
Sepp Straffner19321933 GDVP

Second Republic

NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeParty
Alfons Gorbach 19451953 ÖVP
Karl Hartleb19531956WdU
Alfons Gorbach19561961 ÖVP
Alfred Maleta19611962 ÖVP
Josef Wallner19621970 ÖVP
Otto Probst 19701978 SPÖ
Herbert Pansi19781979 SPÖ
Rudolf Thalhammer19791983 SPÖ
Gerulf Stix19831990 FPÖ
Siegfried Dillersberger15 March 19904 November 1990 FPÖ
Heide Schmidt 19901994 FPÖ
Herbert Haupt 19941996 FPÖ
Willi Brauneder19961999 FPÖ
Andreas Khol 19992000 ÖVP
Werner Fasslabend20002002 ÖVP
Thomas Prinzhorn 20022006 FPÖ
Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek 20062008 Grüne
Martin Graf 20082013 FPÖ
Norbert Hofer 20132017 FPÖ
Anneliese Kitzmüller 20172019 FPÖ
Norbert Hofer 2019present FPÖ
Doris Bures 2024present SPÖ

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sejm</span> Lower house of the parliament of Poland

The Sejm, officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Finland</span> Supreme unicameral legislature of Finland

The Parliament of Finland is the unicameral and supreme legislature of Finland, founded on 9 May 1906. In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that power is vested in the Parliament. The Parliament consists of 200 members, 199 of whom are elected every four years from 13 multi-member districts electing 6 to 37 members using the proportional D'Hondt method. In addition, there is one member from Åland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Council (Austria)</span> Upper house of the Austrian Parliament

The Federal Council is the upper house of the Austrian Parliament, representing the nine States of Austria at the federal level. As part of a bicameral legislature alongside the National Council, it can be compared with an upper house or a senate. In fact, however, it is far less powerful than the National Council: although it has to approve every new law decided for by this lower chamber, the latter can – in most cases – overrule the Federal Council's refusal to approve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Bundesrat</span> Legislative body representing the German states

The German Bundesrat is a legislative body that represents the sixteen Länder of Germany at the federal level. The Bundesrat meets at the former Prussian House of Lords in Berlin. Its second seat is located in the former West German capital of Bonn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Austria</span> Head of state of Austria

The president of Austria is the head of state of the Republic of Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of France</span> Principles, institutions and law of political governance in France

The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic(French: la Constitution de la Cinquième République), and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946 with the exception of the preamble per a 1971 decision of the Constitutional Council. The current Constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Sri Lanka</span> Supreme legislative body of Sri Lanka

The Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the supreme legislative body of Sri Lanka. It alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all other political bodies in the island. It is modeled after the British Parliament. The 16th Parliament of Sri Lanka was dissolved on 24 September 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Lithuania</span> Laws of Lithuania since 1992

The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania defines the legal foundation for all laws passed in the Republic of Lithuania. The first constitution of the contemporary republic was enacted on 1 August 1922. The current constitution was adopted in a referendum on 25 October 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verkhovna Rada</span> National parliament of Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada, officially the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the unicameral parliament of Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidium of the Supreme Soviet</span> Former legislature of the USSR (1938–90)

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was the standing body of the highest body of state authority in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). The presidium was elected by joint session of both houses of the Supreme Soviet to act on its behalf while the Supreme Soviet was not in session. By the 1936 and 1977 Soviet Constitution, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet served as the collective head of state of the USSR. In all its activities, the Presidium was accountable to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Van der Bellen</span> President of Austria since 2017

Alexander "Sascha" Van der Bellen, also referred to by the abbreviation VdB, is an Austrian politician serving as the 12th president of Austria since 2017. He previously served as a professor of economics at the University of Vienna, and after joining politics, as the spokesman of the Austrian Green Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellenic Parliament</span> Unicameral legislative body of Greece

The Parliament of the Hellenes, commonly known as the Hellenic Parliament, is the unicameral legislature of Greece, located in the Old Royal Palace, overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens. The parliament is the supreme democratic institution that represents the citizens through an elected body of Members of Parliament (MPs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's National Assembly</span> Lower house of the Algerian Parliament

The People's National Assembly is the lower house of the Algerian Parliament. It is composed of 407 members directly elected by the population. Of the 407 seats, 8 are reserved for Algerians living abroad. Members of the People's National Assembly are directly elected through proportional representation in multiple-member districts and serve terms lasting five years at a time. The last election for this body was held on 12 June 2021. The minimum age for election to the Assembly is 28.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of Catalonia</span> Parliament that exercises the legislative power of the Government of Catalonia

The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The Parliament is currently made up of 135 members, known as deputies, who are elected for four-year terms or after extraordinary dissolution, chosen by universal suffrage in lists of four constituencies, corresponding to the Catalan provinces. The Parliament building is located in Ciutadella Park, Barcelona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Egyptian parliament</span>

Parliamentary life in Egypt has been a mark of Egyptian civilizations along its history. In modern history, parliamentary life started as early as 1824 while representative parliamentary life did not start until 1866. In 2016, Egypt celebrated the 150th anniversary of Parliamentary life in their country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Assembly (Mauritius)</span> Parliament of Mauritius

The National Assembly is Mauritius's unicameral legislature, which was called the Legislative Assembly from 1968 until 1992, when the country became a republic. Prior to 1968 and under British rule it was known as the Legislative Council. The Constitution of Mauritius provides for the parliament of Mauritius to consist of the President and the National Assembly. The parliament of Mauritius is modelled after the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, where members of parliament are voted in at regular general elections, on the basis of a first past the post system. The working language of the National Assembly is English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of the Bundestag</span> Presiding member of the federal parliament of Germany

The president of the Bundestag presides over the sessions of the Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany, with functions similar to that of a speaker in other countries. In the German order of precedence, the office is ranked second after the president and before the chancellor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landtag of Brandenburg</span> Legislature of the state of Brandenburg, Germany

The Landtag of Brandenburg is the unicameral legislature of the state of Brandenburg in Germany. Its 88 members of parliament are usually elected every 5 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reichstag (Weimar Republic)</span> Legislative body of Weimar Germany

The Reichstag of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) was the lower house of Germany's parliament; the upper house was the Reichsrat, which represented the states. The Reichstag convened for the first time on 24 June 1920, taking over from the Weimar National Assembly, which had served as an interim parliament following the collapse of the German Empire in November 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-elimination of the Austrian Parliament</span> 1933 constitutional crisis within the First Austrian Republic

The self-elimination of Parliament was a constitutional crisis in the First Austrian Republic caused by the resignation on March 4, 1933, of all three presidents of the National Council, the more powerful house of the Austrian Parliament. The National Council was left without a presiding officer, when all three chairmen resigned to try to tip the balance in a knife-edge vote. The law had no mechanism for the National Council to operate without a president, and Engelbert Dollfuss, the Chancellor, stated that Parliament had eliminated itself and that his government had the authority to rule by decree under emergency provisions dating from the First World War. This was a decisive step in the transition from a democratic republic to the authoritarian and quasi-fascist Federal State of Austria, as opposition attempts to reconstitute the National Council were unsuccessful.

References

  1. 1 2 "Präsidentinnen und Präsidenten seit 1920 | Parlament Österreich". www.parlament.gv.at.