Austria can be often found in enumerations of federal states in Europe just on the side of Switzerland and Germany but is Austria a real federal state or just a decentralized state?
“Austria is a federal state. The Federal State is composed of the autonomous Länder of Bur-genland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tirol, Vorarlberg and
Vienna. The Federal territory comprises the territories of the Federal Länder.” (Article 2 and 3, Austrian federal constitutional law).
With these articles it can be seen that the Austrian constitution clearly identifies Austria as a federal state but if you take a closer look at this constitution the question will occur if the Federal State of Austria does suffer from a lack of federalism. In the first part of the essay I will explain the development of federalism beginning with the end of the monarchy in 1918. The second part will be an explanation of how federalism is supposed to work in this country and the third part will be dedicated to the efforts of reforming and renew the Austrian system of federalism.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- The development of federalism in Austria
- Efforts to reform and renew the federal system of Austria
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to examine the nature of federalism in Austria, exploring whether the country truly embodies a federal structure or if it is more accurately classified as a decentralized state. It investigates the historical development of federalism within Austria, analyzes the current state of federalism in the country, and explores efforts to reform and revitalize the federal system.
- The historical evolution of federalism in Austria
- The structure and functionality of the Austrian federal system
- The strengths and weaknesses of Austrian federalism
- The role of provinces ("Bundesländer") in the Austrian federal system
- Efforts to reform and revitalize the federal system
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The development of federalism in Austria: This chapter traces the origins of Austrian federalism back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, exploring the role of provincial autonomy and the formation of the Austrian Republic after World War I. It examines the compromises made in the 1920 constitution and the subsequent evolution of the federal system.
- Efforts to reform and renew the federal system of Austria: This chapter analyzes the current state of federalism in Austria, focusing on the structure and function of the "Bundesrat" (Federal Assembly) and its role in representing provincial interests. It highlights the criticisms of the "Bundesrat" as a weak institution and explores various proposals for reform to enhance its effectiveness and strengthen federalism.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This essay focuses on the concept of federalism, specifically in the context of Austria. Key terms include: "Bundesstaat" (federal state), "Bundesländer" (provinces), "Bundesrat" (Federal Assembly), "Landeshauptleutekonferenz" (Conference of Governors), provincial autonomy, decentralized governance, and constitutional reform.
- Quote paper
- Nina Eder-Haslehner (Author), 2009, Does the federal state of Austria suffer from a lack of federalism?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/166335
