AustriaDemokratie 28 · Democracy and the Republic's core principles
How are most federal laws made in Austria?
In the exam (German)
Wie entstehen in Österreich die meisten Bundesgesetze?
- aThe state governors pass them together at their regular conference.Die Landeshauptleute beschließen sie gemeinsam bei ihrer regelmäßigen Konferenz.
- bThe National Council, whose members are elected by the people, passes them, and the Federal Council takes part.Der Nationalrat, dessen Abgeordnete das Volk wählt, beschließt sie, und der Bundesrat wirkt mit.Correct answer
- cThe Federal Government passes them in the Council of Ministers; Parliament is only informed.Die Bundesregierung beschließt sie im Ministerrat, das Parlament wird nur informiert.
- dThe population votes on every single law in a referendum.Die Bevölkerung stimmt in einer Volksabstimmung über jedes einzelne Gesetz ab.
Why?
Austria is above all a representative democracy: the people elect members of parliament, and they pass the federal laws in the National Council (Nationalrat); the Federal Council (Bundesrat) takes part in this. A referendum on a law is the exception.
Translated with AI. In the exam the question is in German, as shown above.
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Take a free mock examDemokratie 29
With which instruments of direct democracy can those entitled to vote in Austria have a say themselves or express their opinion at federal level?Correct answer:Referendum
Correct answer:Popular initiative
Correct answer:Consultative referendum
Mit welchen Mitteln der direkten Demokratie können die Wahlberechtigten in Österreich auf Bundesebene selbst mitbestimmen oder ihre Meinung einbringen? — Volksabstimmung · Volksbegehren · Volksbefragung
Demokratie 30
What is true about a popular initiative (Volksbegehren) at federal level?Correct answer:If at least 100,000 people entitled to vote have signed it, the National Council must deal with it.
Correct answer:It can be signed at any municipal office in Austria or online with ID Austria.
Was stimmt über ein Volksbegehren auf Bundesebene? — Haben es mindestens 100.000 Stimmberechtigte unterschrieben, muss sich der Nationalrat damit befassen. · Man kann es auf jedem Gemeindeamt in Österreich oder online mit ID Austria unterschreiben.
Demokratie 31
In which case must a referendum be held throughout Austria?Correct answer:For a total revision of the Federal Constitution
In welchem Fall muss in ganz Österreich eine Volksabstimmung stattfinden? — Bei einer Gesamtänderung der Bundesverfassung
Demokratie 32
In January 2013 a consultative referendum (Volksbefragung) on compulsory military service was held throughout Austria. What applies to a consultative referendum in general?Correct answer:It shows politicians what the population thinks, but its result is not legally binding.
Im Jänner 2013 gab es in ganz Österreich eine Volksbefragung über die Wehrpflicht. Was gilt allgemein für eine Volksbefragung? — Sie zeigt der Politik die Meinung der Bevölkerung, ihr Ergebnis ist aber rechtlich nicht bindend.
Source
Our own practice questions on the content of the official learning material “Mein Österreich” and the federal states’ learning materials. They are not the real exam questions – those are not published – and we have not copied wording from the materials. Every question was answered a second time, independently, and checked against public sources. The English translation and the explanations were made with AI; in the exam the questions are asked in German. Not an official service: no connection with the Federal Ministry of the Interior or the offices of the state governments.
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