Government Austria-Hungary (Twilight of a New Era)

Government Austria-Hungary

Federal Government
The executive branch of the Federal government consists of the Emperor-King and the Federal Council of Ministers.

The Federal Council of Ministers is composed of the Federal Chancellor, Federal Vice-Chancellors and federal ministers. The Federal Council is chaired by the Federal Chancellor. The Federal Chancellor determines the political guidelines of his government and is responsible to the House of Representatives. The Federal Council is collectively responsible to the Federal Assembly and can forced to resign by a motion of no confidence passed by the House of Representatives.

The members of the Federal Council of Ministers are collectively responsible for all government policy. The Federal Chancellor is responsible for guiding the Federal Council of Ministers; the Federal Chancellor decides what direction their policies will take and bears the responsibility. The federal ministers have the freedom to carry out their duties independently but must follow the Federal Chancellor's directive. This is known as the Ressortprinzip or principle of departmentalization. The Federal Chancellor decides the scope of each minister's duties. If two ministers disagree on a particular point, the cabinet resolves the conflict by majority vote (Kollegialprinzip or principle of deference).

The Federal Chancellor and Federal Vice-Chancellors must be members of the House of Representatives. For the rest of the federal ministers its optional to be or not a member of the federal parliament. The Emperor-King appoints and dismisses the federal ministers and state secretaries, on recommendation of the Federal Chancellor.

Only by law can the Federal Ministries be established. The Ministries can divide or assign their departmental obligation on the Secretaries of State. The secretaries of state can attend the meeting of the Federal Council of Ministers upon request or when it deals with affairs under their management. The secretaries of state must not be members of the Parliament.

Federal Council of Ministers (composition)
 * Federal Chancellor
 * Federal Vice-Chancellors (from 1 to 3)
 * Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs
 * Federal Minister of Defense
 * Federal Minister of the Treasury, renamed Federal Minister of Finances
 * Federal Minister of Justice
 * Federal Minister of Post, Railroads, Roads and Waterways
 * Federal Minister for Economic Development and Cooperation
 * Federal Minister of Health, Labor and Social Welfare
 * Federal Minister of Higher Education

State Goverments
The executive branch of the states government consists of the State Governor and the Minister-President (Prime Minister or Chancellor in some states), who along the ministers collectively form the State Council.

The State Council usually has 3 to 9 ministers. It remains in office has long as it has the support or approval of the State Assembly. The State Council has the power to dissolve and call for new elections of state assembly.