d
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)
head of government: Chancellor Viktor KLIMA (since 28 January 1997);
Vice Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (since 22 April 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
of the chancellor
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in
the spring of 2004); chancellor chosen by the president from the
majority party in the National Council; 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%

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 17 December 1995 (next to be
held in the fall of 1999)
election results: National Council--percent of vote by party--SPOe
38.3%, OeVP 28.3%, FPOe 22.1%, LF 5.3%, Greens 4.6%, other 1.4%;
seats by party--SPOe 71, OeVP 53, FPOe 40, LF 10, Greens 9

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

Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party of Austria
caucus floor leader and Alexander VAN DER BELLEN, party spokesman];

Political pressure groups and leaders: Federal Chamber of Trade
and Commerce; Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist)
or OeGB; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers; OeVP-oriented League
of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including
its chief lay organization, Catholic Action

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE,
EIB, EMU