Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
February 2000); Vice Chancellor Susanne RIESS-PASSER (FPOe) (since 4
February 2000)

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; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held
in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the
president from the plurality party in the National Council; in the
case of the current coalition, the chancellor was chosen from
another party after the plurality party failed to form a government;
vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the
chancellor

election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of
vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%,
Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%

note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung
consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members
represent each of the states on the basis of population, but with
each state having at least three representatives; members serve a
four- 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 3 October 1999 (next to be
held in the fall of 2003)

election results: National Council - percent of vote by party -
SPOe 33.2%, OeVP 26.9%, FPOe 26.9%, Greens 7.4%; seats by party -
SPOe 65, OeVP 52, FPOe 52, Greens 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders: Austrian People's Party or OeVP
[Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Susanne
RIESS-PASSER]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred
GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Austrian Trade Union
Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; 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

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (ob