Executive branch:
chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
head of government: Chancellor Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11
January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERE (OeVP) (since 11
January 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held
25 April 2004 (next to be held April 2010); chancellor formally
chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties
forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the
president on the advice of the chancellor
election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
note: government coalition - SPOe and OeVP
Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members chosen by state
parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to
its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the
National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by
direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: National Council - last held 1 October 2006 (next
scheduled for the fall of 2010)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe
35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4.1%; seats by
party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative
Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
Verfassungsgerichtshof
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Peter WESENTHALER];
Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERE]; Freedom Party of
Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN
DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
primarily Social Democratic) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented Association of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman
Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
rights
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer),
CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO,
UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Susan R. McCAW
embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0
FAX: [43] (1) 3100682
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
Economy Austria