rnten, Niederoesterreich,
Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien

Independence: 12 November 1918 (from Austro-Hungarian Empire)

National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955)

Constitution: 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial
review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992) was
elected for a six-year term by popular vote; election last held 24
May 1992 (next to be held 1998); results of second ballot - Thomas
KLESTIL 57%, Rudolf STREICHER 43%
head of government: Chancellor Franz VRANITZKY (since 16 June 1986)
was chosen by the president from the majority party in the National
Council; Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995)
was chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor
cabinet: Council of Ministers was chosen by the president on the
advice of the chancellor

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung)
Federal Council (Bundesrat): consists of 63 members representing
each of the provinces on the basis of population, but with each
province having at least three representatives
National Council (Nationalrat): elections last held 17 December 1995
(next to be held Fall 1999); results - SPOE 38.3%, OEVP 28.3%, FPOE
22.1%, Greens 4.6%, LF 5.3%, other 1.4%; seats - (183 total) SPOE
71, OEVP 53, FPOE 40, Greens 9, LF 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for
civil and criminal cases; Administrative Court
(Verwaltungsgerichtshof) for bureaucratic cases; Constitutional
Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) for constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria
(SPOE), Franz VRANITZKY, chairman; Austrian People's Party (OEVP),
Wolfgang SCHUESSEL, chairman; Freedom Movement (F, formerly the
Freedom Party of Austria or FPOE), Joerg HAIDER, chairman; Communist
Party (KPOE), Walter SILBERMAYER, chairman; The Greens, Madeleine
PETROVIC; Liberal Forum (LF), Heide SCHMIDT

Other political or pressure groups: Federal Chamber of Commerce
and Industry; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socia