1929: The Federal Constitutional Amendment

The federal constitutional amendment of 1929 brought about a shift in power from the parliament to the Federal President and the federal government.

The deteriorating domestic political events led to disputes over the future exercise of political power in Austria and intensified the calls for a reform of the hitherto radical parliamentary republic toward strong government and leadership. The political parties were more uncompromising than ever before, increasingly blocking each other in their parliamentary work and expanding their paramilitary groups. The government of Federal Chancellor Johannes Schober introduced a draft constitutional amendment on October 18, 1929, and the constitutional law was passed on December 7, 1929 as the result of a compromise: By and large, the Social Democrats were able to defend Vienna’s position, but made far-reaching concessions on all other issues.

The head of state, who is no longer elected by the Federal Assembly but directly by the people for six years, now has the supreme command over the army, can convoke and dissolve the National Council, and appoint and dismiss the government. Outside of the parliamentary sessions, the head of state is entitled to very limited emergency powers.

Active politicians were excluded as members of the Constitutional Court and had to be replaced by legal experts. The parliament’s right to nominate judges was severely restricted and, to some extent, the right was transferred to the Federal President who would receive recommendations from the federal government.

Federal powers were expanded in significant ways in some areas, especially by the transfer of security police matters to the federal government.