Volksbegehren

Volksbegehren (Popular Initiative), right of citizens to initiate legislation on both the provincial and federal levels. In federal legislation, the popular initiative has to be supported by 100,000 persons entitled to vote or by one sixth of persons eligible to vote in 3 provinces each. A popular initiative can be launched either by a minimum of 10,000 persons listed in the electoral register whose principal residence is in Austria or by at least 8 members of the Nationalrat or at least 4 members of the Landtag of 3 provinces each. The result of a popular initiative can be challenged before the Constitutional Court. A popular initiative that has neither been challenged nor repealed has to be submitted by the chief election authority to the Nationalrat and be dealt with in accordance with the Rules of Procedure. Popular initiatives have been gaining importance lately as a political instrument.