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88-465: Wöginger • Rendi-Wagner • Kickl • Maurer • Meinl-Reisinger • [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The president of Austria ( German : Bundespräsident der Republik Österreich , lit.   'Federal President of

176-640: A form not visible to the viewer. The Redoutensäle reopened in 1998 in the framework of the first Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and became since then part of the Hofburg Congress Centre. Restoration of the roof of the wing gave an opportunity to convert the original loft space into a new amenity called the Rooftop Foyer ( Dachfoyer ). The architect Manfred Wehdorn designed

264-579: A free-standing structure, the Court Library ( Hofbibliothek ) was housed on the other side of the complex. Charles VI had the main building and the Prunksaal main hall constructed. Today it is under the auspices of the Austrian National Library . Its construction was begun by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and finished by his son Joseph Emanuel in 1735. The large Prunksaal hall contains

352-503: A ministers' list ( Ministerliste ), which determines the Cabinet's composition. The leader of the junior partner usually receives the vice chancellorship and an additional ministry. Following the end of the negotiations, the leader of the winning party submits the ministers' list to the president, who can either accept or reject it. If the president accepts, the new Cabinet will be appointed and officially sworn in at an inauguration ceremony. If

440-724: A modern interior, completed with a spherical structure for secure conferences and panoramic windows. Besides the roof, he also converted the former courtyard between the Hall of Festivals and the southwest wing of the Swiss courtyard to another space. By 2017 the wing was renovated to house the National Council and the Federal Council while the Austrian Parliament Building is under renovation. Although not physically connected to

528-522: A number of independent rump states over the course of the following year. As the emperor had grown practically powerless, the members of the lower chamber of the Imperial Council – representing Cisleithania , including the empire's ethnically German provinces – formed a Provisional National Assembly for their paralyzed country on 21 October 1918. On 30 October, the National Assembly passed

616-477: A statute is undoubtedly unconstitutional. President Heinz Fischer refused to sign a bill – containing criminal provisions with retrospective effect – into law; this remains the only time a president withheld their signature. August W%C3%B6ginger August Wöginger (born 2 November 1974) is an Austrian politician currently serving as parliamentary leader of the Austrian People's Party and Member of

704-564: A traditional Maundy ceremony. Later on the Hall of Ceremonies became fully integrated into the New Castle ( Neue Burg ) by 1916. With its 1,000m of floor space, the Hall of Festivals ( Festsaal ) is the biggest hall in the whole of the Hofburg. Although built as a throne room, it was never used as such. The internal works were finished in 1923, but the artwork remained incomplete. The hall has Alois Hans Schramm's three ceiling paintings, dedicated to

792-468: Is also located here. The Hofburg featured as the main motif on the 20 euro Renaissance commemorative coin . The coin shows the Swiss Gate of the palace. This gate bears Ferdinand I's coat-of-arms and titles. It is flanked by two soldiers of the period as a reminder of the unsettled times which saw Vienna besieged by Turkish armies in 1529, as well as the struggles between Protestants and Catholics during

880-445: Is elected under the two-round system . This means that if no candidate receives an absolute majority (i.e. more than 50%) of valid votes cast in the first round, then a second ballot occurs in which only those two candidates who received the greatest number of votes in the first round may stand. However, the constitution also provides that the group that nominates one of these two candidates may instead nominate an alternative candidate in

968-791: Is located inside the Court Chapel ( Hofburgkapelle  [ de ] ) and is where the Vienna Boys' Choir traditionally sing mass on Sundays. The appearance of the Swiss Court dates from the Renaissance , during the reign of the Emperor Ferdinand I . The Swiss Gate entrance ( Schweizertor ) displays the many titles of Ferdinand I and the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece are painted on

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1056-539: Is open to all people entitled to vote in general parliamentary elections, which in practice means that suffrage is universal for all Austrian citizens over the age of sixteen that have not been convicted of a jail term of more than one year of imprisonment. (Even so, they regain the right to vote six months after their release from prison.) Until 1 October 2011, with the exception of members of any ruling or formerly ruling dynastic houses (a measure of precaution against monarchist subversion, and primarily aimed at members of

1144-587: Is part of the wing. This is where Emperor Franz Joseph I held his opening speeches at the sessions of the Austro-Hungarian Delegation. Here the Archduke Franz Ferdinand , a nephew of emperor Franz Joseph I and heir to the throne, spoke the Oath of Renunciation on 28 June 1900 and in so doing renounced all claims to the throne for his descendants. A dynastically necessary act as his intended marriage

1232-505: Is the only person legally able to remove any Cabinet member (including the chancellor) from office. Even if a Cabinet member resigns or is ousted by a no confidence vote, the president must remove them. From a legal perspective, the president appoints all federal officers and not just the members of Cabinet. This includes all military officers and soldiers , all judges as well as all ordinary functionaries. However, this constitutional power has been statutorily or conventionally delegated to

1320-565: The Albertina museum, is also considered a part of the Hofburg because of its structural connections to the Augustinian monastery. In the early 19th century members of the imperial family had their residence here, such as Archduke Albrecht and, later, his nephew, Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen . After the renovation of the Palais in the 1820s by Joseph Kornhäusel , that section became connected to

1408-654: The Archbishop of Mainz since the Middle Ages. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire, this wing housed the apartments of Napoleon, The Duke of Reichstadt and later those of Emperor Francis Joseph I. The chancellery, Swiss court, Amalienburg and Leopoldine Wing form the Inner Castle Court ( innerer Burghof ). In the middle is a bronze statue of Francis I dressed as a Roman emperor, by Pompeo Marchesi . Originally

1496-504: The Burghauptmannschaft operated the convention centre; since 1969 a private company (Hofburg Vienna – Wiener Kongresszentrum Hofburg Betriebsgesellschaft ) has been managing the international congress and events centre. Every year the convention centre hosts about 300–350 events, with around 300,000–320,000 guests. Among the events are conventions and meetings as well as banquets, trade fairs, concerts, and balls. The oldest parts of

1584-544: The Constituent National Assembly , the first parliament to be elected by universal suffrage , convened and named Seitz its chairman a day later. The National Assembly disbanded the State Council on 15 March – hence Seitz became the sole head of state – and began drafting a new Constitution the same year. The Christian Social Party advocated creating a presidency with comprehensive executive powers, similar to

1672-736: The Emperors of Austria . Since then, the palace has continued in its role as the seat of the head of state and is today used by the Austrian Federal President. It is also the permanent home of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and also houses the Vienna Office of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). The whole palace complex is under the administration of

1760-614: The Federal Constitutional Law , the centerpiece of the new Constitution, was ratified by the National Assembly and on 10 November, it became effective, making Seitz president of Austria in all but name. The new Constitution established the president to be elected by the Federal Assembly , a joint session of both houses of the now-bicameral Parliament . On 9 December 1920, the Federal Assembly elected Michael Hainisch as

1848-579: The Green Party ) became the first president not affiliated with either of the two dominant parties – the Social Democratic Party and the People's Party – and the first president to dismiss a chancellor as well as an entire Cabinet as a result of a parliamentary ouster . The president of Austria is elected by popular vote for a term of six years and is limited to two consecutive terms of office. Voting

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1936-577: The House of Habsburg ), anyone entitled to vote in elections to the National Council who is at least 35 years of age is eligible for the office of president. The exception of ruling or formerly ruling dynasties has been abolished meanwhile within the Wahlrechtsänderungsgesetz 2011 (Amendment of the law on the right to vote 2011) due to an initiative by Ulrich Habsburg-Lothringen . The president

2024-530: The Ibiza affair and a likely collapse of the Cabinet, Kickl moved to appoint Peter Goldgruber – with whom he had close ties – to the office of director general for Public Security , which would have granted him direct control over Austrian law enforcement. President Alexander Van der Bellen refused to assent Goldgruber's appointment – following a convention to avoid high-level appointments during transition periods – thus preventing him from taking office. The president

2112-502: The Social Democratic Party and the People's Party had been elected to the presidency, with the exception of the Green -endorsed incumbent Alexander Van der Bellen . The most notable presidential power is the appointment of the chancellor, the vice chancellor and the ministers , which collectively form the Cabinet of Austria . The president also signs bills into law, appoints the justices of

2200-581: The Staatsgründungsbeschluss , the law that proclaimed the creation of German-Austria and served as its provisional constitution. Additionally, the National Assembly appointed three coequal chairmen, one of them being Karl Seitz , and established a State Council to administer the executive branch. For about two weeks, the Empire and German-Austria co-existed, having a roughly similar population and territory. On 11 November, Emperor Charles I dissolved

2288-573: The State Legislature . The president signs all bills into law. Signing bills into law is a duty and not a discretionary power of the president; it is not comparable with the presidential veto in the United States . When signing bills into law, it is the task of the president to check if a piece of legislation was enacted according to constitutional prerequisites. If that is not the case, the president must withhold their signature, which strikes down

2376-679: The Supreme Courts , signs treaties and exercises various ceremonial duties. Additionally, the president is empowered to remove the chancellor and the Cabinet, dissolve the National Council and the State Legislatures , rule by decree and oversee the Armed Forces but these powers have never or rarely been used. The president ranks first in Austria's order of precedence , ahead of the Presidium of

2464-436: The allied forces in 1945, the republican Constitution was restored and so was the office of the president. Though the president regained the tremendous power they held before the corporatist era, since the second republic, the president voluntarily chose to serve as a ceremonial and symbolic figurehead, allowing the chancellor to become chief executive instead. Since the institution of the popular vote in 1951, only nominees of

2552-400: The chancellor , the vice chancellor , and the ministers , which collectively form the Cabinet of Austria . A new National Council , the dominant lower chamber of Parliament , is elected at least every five years by universal suffrage . Following such an election, the president, according to political convention, charges the chancellor candidate of the party that won the most seats with

2640-610: The governor ( Burghauptmann ), who in turn is part of the Burghauptmannschaft , an office which has been in existence since the Middle Ages under the auspices of the Burgrave . At present the Burghauptmannschaft is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of the Economy. In September 1958, parts of the Hofburg were opened to the public as a convention centre. In the first ten years,

2728-596: The presidency of the Weimar Republic . However, the Social Democratic Worker's Party , fearing that such a president would become a "substitute emperor", favored reverting to a parliamentary presidium acting as collective head of state. In the end, the framers of the Constitution opted for a compromise, creating a presidency that was separate from the legislature but lacked even nominal power. On 1 October,

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2816-647: The 1660s under Emperor Leopold I and thus named after him. The architect was Filiberto Lucchese, but after the Siege of 1683 by the Turks, the wing was rebuilt by Giovanni Pietro Tencala with an additional floor installed. Through its architecture, this wing still bears a connection to the Late Renaissance. It is in this wing that the offices of the Federal President are located. The Privy Council Room ( Geheime Ratstube )

2904-668: The Court", which denotes its origins when initially constructed during the Middle Ages . Initially planned in the 13th century as the seat of the Dukes of Austria , the palace expanded over the centuries, as they became increasingly powerful. From 1438 to 1583, and again from 1612 to 1806, it was the seat of the Habsburg kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire , and thereafter until 1918 the seat of

2992-510: The Hofburg as well. Empress Maria Theresia had a 17th-century opera house converted into the dance and concert halls now known as the Redoutensäle , which consists of a small and a large hall. Together with a number of smaller antechambers they form the Redoute Wing. The original plans were drawn up by Jean Nicolas Jadot de Ville-Issey  [ de ] , while the external façades are

3080-512: The Imperial Cabinet and officially renounced any participation in government affairs but did not abdicate, seeing this move only as a temporary break from his rule. However, the next day, the National Assembly proclaimed German-Austria to be a republic. Despite the effective dissolution of the Empire, the monarchy officially still continued to exist and Emperor Charles I continued exercising ceremonial powers as German-Austria refused to be seen as

3168-690: The Leopoldine Wing. The latter was originally planned by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and accommodated, in addition to the Aulic Council ( Reichshofrat ), the offices of the Imperial Vice-Chancellor ( Reichsvizekanzler ), who was the de facto prime minister of the Holy Roman Empire since the ceremonial position of Imperial Arch-Chancellor ( Reichserzkanzler )—whom the Imperial Vice Chancellor represented—had always been filled by

3256-718: The National Council and the chancellor. The workplace and official residence of the president is located in the Leopoldine Wing of the Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna . Prior to the collapse of the multinational Austro-Hungarian Empire towards the end of World War I , what now is the Republic of Austria had been part of a monarchy with an emperor as its head of state and chief executive. The empire noticeably began to fracture in late 1917 and manifestly disintegrated into

3344-468: The National Council . He represents his native constituency of Innviertel . This article about an Austrian politician is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Hofburg#Leopoldine Wing Since 1279, the Hofburg area has been the documented seat of government. The Hofburg has been expanded over the centuries to include various residences (with the Amalienburg and the Albertina ),

3432-582: The Polish King John III Sobieski in the side panels. The hall was also the venue for 1967 Eurovision Song Contest . In 1809, a part of the old bastion adjacent to the palace was demolished in the course of the Napoleonic Wars. All the way up to the present Ring Road , new grounds were laid out, in which the neoclassical main castle gate ( Burgtor ) was integrated. Within the new walls which were erected in 1817, three gardens were made:

3520-616: The Republic of Austria') is the head of state of the Republic of Austria . The office of the president was established in 1920 by the Constituent National Assembly of the first republic following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg monarchy in 1918 . As head of state, the president indirectly succeeded the emperor of Austria . The power and role of the presidency has varied drastically over time. During

3608-616: The Ring Road, with the twin museums ( Kunsthistorisches Museum and Naturhistorisches Museum ) as flanks and terminating at the old Imperial Mews (the Hofstallungen , not to be confused with the much older Stallburg) of Fischer von Erlach. The project was led by Gottfried Semper and later by Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer . The museums were completed in 1891, but construction of the rest of the forum dragged on slowly and conflicted since because of rising costs and no real function could be found for

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3696-426: The balls held in the Redoutensaele in the framework of the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15. Johann Strauss served as musical director to the court for the balls held here. Over the centuries, various modification has been made the balls in line with changing tastes. On 27 November 1992 the whole wing with the Redoutensäle was seriously damaged by fire. The reconstruction and restoration work lasted five years. While

3784-403: The bill. All federal bills, statutory and constitutional, must be signed by the president to become effective. The president generally does not verify if an enacted statute complies with constitutional law; that falls within the purview of the Constitutional Court . Opinions regarding the extent of this responsibility have varied, with some arguing that the president may deny their signature if

3872-405: The book collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy , an enormous ceiling fresco by Daniel Gran , and statues of emperors by Paul Strudel making this part of the Hofburg its most significant in artistic terms. The exterior decoration with attic style figures was executed by Lorenzo Mattielli in 1726. He placed a statue of Athena riding on a quadriga above the main entrance. On the left portion of

3960-418: The ceiling. An adjoining section of the Swiss Wing houses the Radetzky Apartments. In recognition of his services in the Italian campaign during the revolutionary year of 1848, the Emperor Franz Joseph I permitted the worthy Field Marshal Radetzky to live in these apartments, even though he was not a member of the imperial family. In the Knight's Hall ( Rittersaal ), on 15 May 1717 the Empress Maria Theresa

4048-435: The chancellor candidate will commonly seek out the party most willing to compromise. Once a potential partner is found, the winning party will subsequently enter more serious and comprehensive "coalition negotiations" ( Koalitionsverhandlungen ), a process usually lasting several months. The objective of the coalition negotiations is to produce a cabinet agenda ( Regierungsprogramm ), a coalition contract ( Koalitionsvertrag ) and

4136-513: The chancellor must be acceptable to the National Council and maintain its confidence. If no party wins an absolute majority (the common electoral outcome since 1983), the leader of the largest party will search for a junior coalition partner to create a politically stable Cabinet that commands the support of the National Council. This process will kick off with a series of rather brief "exploratory discussions" ( Sondierungsgespräche ) with all parties, which usually lasts several weeks. During this time,

4224-445: The collection forms the core of the later Kunsthistorisches Museum from 1889. The residence was converted during the Baroque era to house the imperial horses on the ground floor and is used by the Spanish Riding School ( Spanische Hofreitschule ). St. Michael's Wing was also planned by Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, and it serves as the connection between the Winter Riding School and the Imperial Chancellery Wing. However, because

4312-412: The demand of Chancellor Leopold Figl to appoint a Cabinet that would have included the far-right Federation of Independents , and Thomas Klestil declined to appoint a nominee that has been indicted and a nominee who had made frequent extremist and xenophobic remarks. The president can remove the chancellor or the entire Cabinet such at will. However, individual Cabinet members can only be dismissed by

4400-420: The early first republic, the president was an utterly powerless figurehead . In the late first republic, the president received tremendous power but this power was swiftly taken away again following the abrogation of the Constitution and the erection of a corporatist dictatorship in 1934. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the presidency was completely abolished. Following the liberation of Austria by

4488-448: The enormous construction project. In 1913, the south-west wing, the New Castle (Neue Burg), was completed. However, the Imperial Forum was never completed and remains a torso. The New Castle wing today houses a number of museums (the Ephesos Museum , the Collection of Arms and Armour, the Collection of Ancient Musical Instruments, and the Museum of Ethnology) as well as some reading rooms of the national library. The Hofburg Congress Centre

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4576-438: The entrance. These oldest sections of the castle today form the Swiss Court ( Schweizerhof ), where there are a gothic chapel ( Burgkapelle ), dating from the 15th century, and the treasury (or Schatzkammer ), affiliated to the Kunsthistorisches Museum which holds, among other things, the imperial insignia of the Holy Roman Empire ( Reichskleinodien ) and of the Empire of Austria. The Court Music Chapel ( Hofmusikkapelle )

4664-435: The financial ramifications of the Great Depression , all parties agreed to suspend the election in favor of having Wilhelm Miklas reelected by the Federal Assembly. Three years later, Engelbert Dollfuss and the Fatherland Front tore down Austrian parliamentarism altogether, formally annulling the Constitution on 1 May 1934. It was replaced by an authoritarian and corporatist system of government that concentrated power in

4752-400: The first official president of Austria. The parliamentary system erected by the new Constitution was highly unpopular with the majority of the population. This led to surging support for the authoritarian and paramilitary Heimwehr movement, which preferred a system that strengthens presidential authority. On 7 December 1929, under growing pressure from the Heimwehr , the Constitution

4840-406: The foci of Heroes Square. On 15 March 1938 Adolf Hitler proclaimed from the balcony of the New Castle onto Heroes' Square the " Anschluss " of Austria into the Nazi Third Reich. Following the enlargement of Vienna after the demolition of the city walls in the 1860s, the Hofburg had its last great expansion. An Imperial Forum ( Kaiserforum ) was planned, in which a two-winged structure reaching beyond

4928-426: The formation of a new Cabinet. Theoretically, the president could appoint any adult citizen eligible to be elected to the National Council as chancellor. However, the National Council can adopt a motion of no confidence against the chancellor, a minister, or the entire Cabinet at any time, and the President is constitutionally required to dismiss any minister whom the National Council wants gone. In practice, this means

5016-461: The greater glory of the Habsburgs, complete with Emperor Franz Joseph's motto "Viribus Unitis" (with united strength). The lower lunettes and octagonal panels are decorated with paintings by Eduard Veith and Viktor Stauffer  [ de ] of famous people from Austrian history, with Maximilian I, Charles V , Ferdinand I, Rudolph II and Ferdinand II of Tyrol to be seen in the ceiling paintings, and Leopold I, Charles VI, Prince Eugene and also

5104-471: The hands of the chancellor, not the president. Miklas was stripped of the authority he had gained in 1929, but agreed to act as a figurehead for the sake of institutional continuity anyway. He was not entirely powerless, however; during the Anschluss crisis, he provided some of the stiffest resistance to Nazi demands. He technically remained in office until 13 March 1938, the day Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany and thus lost its sovereignty. The annexation

5192-443: The imperial chapel ( Hofkapelle or Burgkapelle ), the imperial library ( Hofbibliothek ), the treasury ( Schatzkammer ), the Burgtheater , the Spanish Riding School ( Hofreitschule ), the imperial mews ( Stallburg and Hofstallungen ). The palace faces the Heldenplatz (Heroes' Square) ordered under the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I , as part of what was planned to become the Kaiserforum  [ de ] but which

5280-401: The ministers and their subordinates. Though the president retains the right to personally appoint the top brass of the federal apparatus. Because the governors of the states do not only serve as the chief executives of their respective state government but also as the representatives of the national Cabinet within that state, the president swears in all governors, following their election by

5368-437: The old Imperial Court Theatre ( Burgtheater ) stood in the way, these plans remained unrealized until Ferdinand Kirschner built the wing from 1889 to 1893, utilizing a slightly altered plan. After the completion of St. Michael's Square, two sculpted fountains were installed on the façade of the wing: Power at Sea by Rudolf Weyr and Power on Land by Edmund Hellmer . The wing is named in reference to St. Michael's Church on

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5456-401: The opposite side. The walls of the Marble Hall in front of the Hall of Ceremonies date back to the 16th century and theoretically belong to the Leopoldine Wing, but the scagliola for the interior was changed around 1840 to match the appearance of the newer Hall of Ceremonies. During the imperial period it was used as a dining room and for balls for the children at court. The Hall of Ceremonies

5544-426: The other parts of the Hofburg and its other side to the Augustinian Church and he thus created the present Joseph Square ( Josephsplatz ), marked by its almost symmetrical proportions. Of note are the bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Joseph II . Built right before the adjacent Court Library, on the south-east side of Joseph Square, lies the baroque Augustinian Wing with the Augustinian church and monastery. As

5632-405: The palace date from the 13th century and were primarily constructed by the last of the Babenbergers , or by Ottakar II of Bohemia . Before that the castle of the Austrian rulers had been located on the square called "Am Hof", which is near the Schottenstift (Scottish Monastery). The castle originally had a square outline, with four turrets , and was surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge at

5720-542: The palace expanded, the church and monastery became an integral part of the building. The Augustinian Church was used by the Habsburgs as their court church and also for weddings. This is where Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth , alias Sisi, were married. Behind the Loreto side chapel is located the Hearts' Crypt , a semicircular-shaped annexe separated by an iron door, where 54 hearts of House of Habsburg members are kept in silver urns. The Palais Archduke Albrecht (formerly Palais Tarouca-de Sylva), home of

5808-469: The presence of the Federal Assembly (although the addition of a religious asseveration is admissible): I solemnly swear that I will faithfully observe the Constitution and all the laws of the Republic and fulfill my duty to the best of my knowledge and conscience. The presidency as well as its powers and duties are established by the Federal Constitutional Law , while additional powers may be rooted in statutory law , convention or precedent. Every act of

5896-506: The president on the request of the chancellor. So far, the dismissal of an entire Cabinet against its will has never occurred. President Wilhelm Miklas did not make use of this power when Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß absolished the Constitution to establish the dictatorial Federal State of Austria . The removal of a minister against their will occurred only once, when Chancellor Sebastian Kurz asked President Alexander Van der Bellen to remove Interior Minister Herbert Kickl . Ensuing

5984-418: The president rejects the list, there are several options; the president asks the chancellor candidate to rewrite the list or omit certain nominees, charges someone else with the formation of a cabinet or calls new elections. There have only been three instances where a president refused to appoint a Cabinet nominee; Karl Renner denied to re-appoint a minister suspected of corruption, Theodor Körner dismissed

6072-412: The president requires a request or/and a countersignature to become effective, unless the Constitution expressly says otherwise. While requests are made on a discretionary basis, countersignatures exist to confirm that the act has in fact been signed by the president and meets all constitutional prerequisites. The countersigning authority is also responsible for implementing the act. The president appoints

6160-473: The private Imperial Castle Garden ( Burggarten ), Heroes Square ( Heldenplatz ) as a large open, green area, and the People's Garden ( Volksgarten ) with the Temple of Theseus ( Theseustempel ). Along with the Burgtor , it was designed by Peter von Nobile . The Hall of Ceremonies and the Neue Burg make up the backdrop of the square. Equestrian statues of the two most important Austrian field marshals, Prince Eugene of Savoy and Archduke Charles , stand at

6248-403: The provision calling for popular election of the president. Following the November 1945 legislative election , however, the Federal Assembly temporarily suspended this provision and installed Karl Renner as president of Austria as of 20 December. The suspension in question seemed to have been motivated mainly by a lack of money; no attempt was ever made to prolong it, and Renner had already been

6336-412: The rest of the complex, the imperial mews ( Stallburg ) of the Hofburg were originally built as a residence for the then crown prince, Maximilian . It is said that Ferdinand I did not wish to house his son under his roof, as Maximilian had veered towards Protestantism. This structure later accommodated the art collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm , the art-inclined brother of Emperor Ferdinand III , and

6424-461: The roof, he situated Atlas , supporting the celestial globe, flanked by Astronomy and Astrology, and on the opposite side, Gaia with the terrestrial globe, flanked by allegories of Geometry and Geography. The library to the north is located at Joseph Square. More structures and annexes were successively added. Particularly from 1763 to 1769, Nicolo Pacassi connected the Imperial Library to

6512-475: The second round. If there is only one candidate standing in a presidential election then the electorate is granted the opportunity to either accept or reject the candidate in a referendum . While in office the president cannot belong to an elected body or hold any other position. Article 62 of the Austrian Constitution provides that the president must take the following oath or affirmation of office in

6600-494: The smaller Kleiner Redoutensaal was faithfully restored, for the interior of the larger Grosser Redoutensaal a design competition was held, which was won by the Austrian artist Josef Mikl . He created a number of oil paintings based on literary quotations taken from Ferdinand Raimund , Johann Nepomuk Nestroy and Elias Canetti . His 404 m ceiling painting incorporates 34 handwritten verses of Karl Kraus ' poem "Youth", albeit in

6688-550: The successor to Austria-Hungary and thus the monarchy was not legally abolished; only following the passage of the Habsburg Law in April 1919, the monarchy formally ceased to exist and Charles I was dethroned and exiled. The State Council assumed the remaining powers and responsibilities of the emperor, while the three assembly chairmen – as chairmen of the State Council – became the country's collective head of state . On 4 March 1919,

6776-448: The universally accepted, de facto head of state anyway. Starting with the 1951 election of Renner's successor Theodor Körner , all presidents have in fact been elected by the people. Since the restoration of the republic, presidents have taken an increasingly passive role in day-to-day politics ( Rollenverzicht ) and are rarely ever the focus of the press, except during presidential elections and political upheavals. A notable exception

6864-473: The widow of Joseph I . However, this wing had already been in use for more than a century, constructed as the residence of the Emperor Rudolph II in the style of the late Renaissance . Of note is the small tower with its cupola and the astronomical clock on its façade. The connection between the Amalienburg and the Swiss Court is the Leopoldine Wing ( Leopoldinischer Flügel ) which was first built in

6952-571: The work of Nicolò Pacassi and Franz Anton Hillebrandt  [ de ] . The Redoutensäle soon became the setting for the cultivated style of baroque entertainment. The name is derived from the French word " redoute ", meaning an elegant masked ball , and such balls were also held there. The audience was treated to music by Joseph Haydn and Niccolò Paganini and Franz Liszt . The premiere of Beethoven 's 8th Symphony took place there in 1814. The well known saying "The Congress dances" derives from

7040-650: Was Kurt Waldheim , who became the subject of national and international controversy, after his service in the Wehrmacht and the Sturmabteilung were revealed to the public. Another exception was Thomas Klestil , who attempted to assume a far more active political role; he called for the grand coalition to remain in power and demanded to represent Austria in the European Council but ultimately failed on both counts. Alexander Van der Bellen (generally associated with

7128-419: Was amended to give the president sweeping executive and legislative power. Although most of these powers were to be exercised through the ministers , on paper the president now had powers equivalent to those of presidents in presidential systems . It also called for the office to be elected by popular vote and expanded the president's term to six years. The first election was scheduled for 1934. However, owing to

7216-672: Was baptised by the papal nuncio Giorgio Spinola, representing Pope Clement XI , with baptismal water containing a few drops from the River Jordan . Next to the Knight's Hall is the Guard Room ( Trabantenstube ), where the duty officer of the Household Guards kept watch over the emperor. The lower section of this wing once accommodated the imperial kitchen. Across from the Swiss Gate is the Amalienburg , named after Empress Amalie Wilhelmine ,

7304-463: Was built for Emperor Francis II/I by the Belgian architect Louis Montoyer at the beginning of the 19th century. Because of its additional nature, it formed a clearly visible protrusion at right angles to the Leopoldine Wing for almost a hundred years, and was therefore also called the "Nose". With its ornate coffered ceiling and 26 crystal chandeliers, which once held 1,300 candles, the Hall of Ceremonies

7392-475: Was grand. The 24 Corinthian columns are done in scagliola technique, in which painted gypsum resembles marble. In this hall Napoleon I asked for the hand of Archduchess Marie Louise , the daughter of Emperor Francis II/I. This was also where court balls were held and later also speeches from the throne . and where the exclusive Ball at the Court was held. On Maundy Thursday , the emperor and empress invited twelve poor old men and women to have their feet washed in

7480-505: Was legally formalised after Austria and Germany simultaneously passed what was effectively the same law; a plebiscite with 99% support was intended to give the Anschluss additional democratic legitimacy. When Austria was re-established as an independent state on 27 April 1945, the party leaders forming the provisional cabinet decided not to write a new constitution, instead reverting to that of 1920, as amended in 1929. Even though this revision

7568-577: Was never completed. Numerous architects have executed work at the Hofburg as it expanded, notably the Italian architect-engineer Filiberto Luchese, Lodovico Burnacini and Martino and Domenico Carlone, the Baroque architects Lukas von Hildebrandt and Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach , Johann Fischer von Erlach , and the architects of the Neue Burg built between 1881 and 1913. The name translates as "Castle of

7656-459: Was still somewhat controversial at that point, it was part of Austria's most recent constitutional framework, giving it at least some much-needed form of democratic legitimacy. The party leaders were also afraid that lengthy discussion might provoke the Red Army , then in control of Vienna , to barge in and impose Communist rule. The Constitution thus reenacted, effective 1 May, therefore still entailed

7744-696: Was to be morganatic, due to the unequal rank between him and his future wife . The lower section of this wing as well as that of the Amalienburg served as the enormous wine cellar for the Hofburg. An additional father-son collaborative project resulted in the Winter Riding School ( Winterreitschule ) across from the Stallburg (and where the first Austrian parliament sat in 1848) and in the Imperial Chancellery Wing (Reichskanzleitrakt) across from

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