The Austrian Federal Government

The Cabinet is entrusted with the highest administrative duties of the Republic of Austria. The Cabinet is composed of the Federal Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, and the other Federal Ministers. As a collegiate branch of government it executes only those duties which have been expressly entrusted to it by law (or upon decree by the Federal President). All other governmental duties reside with the ministers of the responsible ministry. The Cabinet’s most important constitutional responsibility is its function to pass bills. The Cabinet passes resolutions unanimously. There is no majority decision making.

Faymann Cabinet I

Faymann Cabinet I (from left): Josef Ostermayer, Norbert Darabos, Karlheinz Töchterle, Doris Bures, Alois Stöger, Rudolf Hundstorfer, Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek, Werner Faymann, Michael Spindelegger, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Claudia Schmied, Reinhold Mitterlehner, Maria Fekter, Nikolaus Berlakovich, Andreas Schieder, Beatrix Karl, Sebastian Kurz, Reinhold Lopatka
Note: On 11th March 2013, Gerald Klug was sworn in as the new Federal Minister of Defence and Sports instead of Norbert Darabos.
Larger view
(© BKA/Andy Wenzel)

On 2nd December 2008, the new Austrian Federal Government Faymann was sworn in by Federal President Heinz Fischer.