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TheFederal Assembly (German:Bundesversammlung) is the name given to a formaljoint session of the two houses of the bicameralAustrian Parliament, theNational Council and theFederal Council. It is chaired by the presidents of the two parliamentary chambers taking turns presiding over its sessions.
According to theFederal Constitutional Law, the Federal Assembly does not function as a legislative body; the two chambers enact legislation, and even amend the constitution, as strictly separate entities. Since 1945, the assembly has only met to swear the electedPresident of Austria into office.
While during the pre-warFirst Austrian Republic, the Assembly convened to elect the Austrian president, a direct election was implemented by a 1929 amendment. This provision however did not become effective until1951, whenTheodor Körner became the first president directly elected by theAustrian people. Since then, the principal responsibility is to convene for the ceremonial swearing-in of the president. It recently met at the inauguration ofAlexander Van der Bellen's second term as Austrian President on 26 January 2023.[1]
In theory, the Federal Assembly also functions as an instrument ofchecks and balances; upon request by a two-thirds majority of the National Council, it mayimpeach the president before theConstitutional Court, or upon request by a two-thirds majority in the National Council decide on areferendum to have the president removed from office. The assent of the Assembly would also be required for the president'simmunity against criminal prosecution to be withdrawn. Furthermore, it is also responsible fordeclaring war. Neither of these powers, however, has so far been exercised.
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