!!!Föderalismus

Federalism, principle of governmental organisation according to which 
the individual subunits have (in contrast with centralism) a 
relatively large measure of self-government (autonomy) in their 
relations with the central authorities. The first instance of a 
federalist structure on Austrian soil appears to have been realised in 
the Celtic Kingdom of Noricum. Similarly, federalism was the principle 
underlying the  Georgenberger Handfeste treaty concluded in 1186, 
under which Styria fell to the Babenbergs in 1192 but still retained 
its autonomy. The conception of the Habsburg Danube Monarchy also had 
federalist features in that Bohemia (up to 1627) and Hungary were able 
to maintain their position as sovereign and individual states. The 
opposition between federalists and centralists first came to a head 
under the rule of Maria Theresia and was a decisive element of 
political strife within the Monarchy from 1848 onward. The 
Austro-Hungarian  Compromise  of 1867, which enshrined the principle 
of dualism, blocked a truly federalist solution. At the beginning of 
the 20th century, the idea of "United States of Greater Austria" was 
promoted before the backdrop of heightened national tensions. The idea 
was to organise the Monarchy in the form of a federation of 
linguistically uniform member states. A solution of this nature was 
also favoured by Archduke  Franz Ferdinand and K.  Lueger, while the 
federalist structure envisaged by K.  Renner sought to combine the 
territorial and personal principles. The consequences of the First 
World War showed that Emperor Karl's October Manifesto of 1918, which 
had been prepared along these lines by H.  Lammasch, came too late; 
Lammasch's conception was the creation of national states within the 
scope of Austria-Hungary.

\\
The Republic of Austria adopted the principle of federalism for the 
organisation of its territory. The Austrian Federal Constitution of 
1920 created a basically federalist organisation, even though 
relatively little scope was given to federalist elements. The 
following provisions of the Federal Constitution govern federalism in 
Austria: While the legislative and executive powers are shared by the 
Federal and provincial governments most important competences reside 
with the federal authorities, particularly with regard to finances. 
The  Bundeslaender ("laender" = "provinces") only have executive 
functions in regard of administrative matters. The judicial power is 
completely reserved to the federal level. The laender participate in 
federal legislation through the medium of the  Bundesrat. A large 
number of federal executive functions have been entrusted to organs of 
the laender governments ("executive federalism"). Since 1974 the 
laender, in particular those in the western part of the country, have 
sought to strengthen their legal position and powers as well as those 
of the Bundesrat.

!Literature
H. Schambeck (ed.), Foederalismus und Parlamentarismus in 
Oesterreich, 1992.


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