The Constitution of the Austrian Empire(1884 Patent)

Section I. of the Empire
Art. I. The Austrian Empire consists of the following kronländer(Crown dominions):

The Archduchy of Austria above and below the Enns, the Duchy of Salzburg, the Duchy of Styria; the Kingdom of Illyria, consisting of the Duchy of Carinthia, the Duchy of Krain, the County Palatine of Gorizia, and Gradiska, the Margravate of Istria, and the town of Trieste with its dependencies; the County Palatine of the Tyrol and Vorarlberg; the Kingdom of Bohemia; the Margravate of Moravia; the Duchy of Upper and Lower Silesia; the Kingdoms of Galicia and Lodomeria, with the Duchies of Auschwitz and Zator, and the Grand Duchy of Cracow; the Duchy of the Bukowina; the Kingdoms of Dalmatia, Croatia, and Slavonia, with the Croatian coast, the town of Fiume and its dependencies; the Kingdom of Hungary; the Principality of Transylvania, including the Saxon territory and the re-incorporated counties of Kraszna, Mittel Szolnok, and Zarand, the districts of Kovar and the town of Zilah; The Condominium of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Art. II. Vienna is the capital of the Empire and the seat of Executive and Legislative power.

Art. III. Equal justice will be given to all races, and each race has the inviolable right of preserving and maintaining its own nationality and language.

Art. IV. The boundaries of the empire or of any one of the Crown dominions may only be changed by a law.

Section II. of the Emperor
Art. V. The Crown of the empire and of each separate Crown domain is hereditary in the House of Habsburg-Lorraine-Guequierre, according to the Pragmatic Sanction and the domestic laws of Austria.

Art. VI. The Emperor, in addition to his present titles, takes also that of Grand Duke of Cracow and Duke of the Bukowina.

Art. VII. The Emperor is crowned as Emperor of Austria. An express statute will fix the details.

Art. VIII. The person of the Emperor is sacred, inviolable, and irresponsible.

Art. IX. The Emperor is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Art. X. Throughout the empire justice is administered in the name of the Emperor.

Art. XI. The Emperor has the right of granting full pardon, of mitigating punishment, and of giving amnesties, with the exception of the particular regulations which refer to the Ministers.

Art. XII. The right of coining is carried into execution in the name of the Emperor.

Art. XIII. The Emperor cannot propose bills to either houses of the Reichsrat.

Art. XIV. The Emperor has the sole right to enoble and appoint people to the Herrenhaus.

Art. XV. Every law, bill and act requires the Imperial Assent. If the Emperor refuses to grant Imperial Assent the law is cancelled and may be re-proposed after a period of one week(seven days) and the Emperor must give Imperial Assent.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XVI. The Emperor has the sole right of appointing and dismissing the Minister-President and his government.

Section III. of the Parliament
<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XVII. The Parliament is the Legislative power of the Austrian Empire.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XVIII. The Parliament consists of two houses:


 * 1) <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Herrenhaus(Upper House)

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Consists of members of the nobility who are appointed and dissmised by the Emperor.


 * 1) <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;"> Abgeordnetenhaus(Lower House)

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Consits of elected representatives of the people.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XIX. The Abgeordnetenhaus has 516 seats.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XX. Members of both houses have the right to propose laws, bills and acts in their respected houses.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">Art. XXI. The Abgeordnetenhaus is divided into following divisions: <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Art. XXII. The Members of the Abgeordnetenhaus are elected for a period of two months.
 * 1) His Majesty's Government - The party or coalition who have the highest amount of seats in the lower house. The Minister-President normally comes from this party or coalition.
 * 2) <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">His Majesty's Official Opposition -  <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The party or coalition who have the second highest amount of seats in the lower house. It is common for this part of the parliament to form a shadow cabinet.
 * 3) <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Independant and/or other opposition -  <span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">The rest of the parliament.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Art. XXIII. Membership in the Herrenhaus is attained through appointment, inheritance or by an ecclesiastical role in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Art. XXIV. All bills must be passed in both houses of the Parliament, excluding military recruitment and government budget wich only needs to be passed in the lower house.

<span style="color:rgb(219,219,219);font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Verdana,sans-serif;font-size:14px;">Art. XXV. All bills must be passed in the correct legislative process which will be presented in another statute.

Section IV. of the Government
Art. XXVI. Executive power is in the hands of His Majesty's Government.

Art. XXVII. The Minister-President has the right to appoint and dismiss his cabinet ministers. Except in the case of ''Art. XVI''.

Art. XXVIII. Every bill requires the signiture of the Minister-President.

Art. XXIX. The Minister-President may Veto any bill, however, after a period of one week the bill may be re-proposed and the Minister-President is not allowed to Veto it again.

Art. XXX. The following are the official duties of Minister of the Crown:


 * a.) Minister for Foreign Affairs - Minister is in charge of the foreign policy of the Austrian Empire and must be aware of all major world events.


 * b.) Minister for Internal Affairs - Minister in charge of internal policy, police and other security forces.


 * c.) Minister for the Treasury - Minister in charge of financial affairs of the Empire. Proposes budget to the Parliament.


 * d.) Minister of War - Minister in charge of the defense, armed forces and in case of conflict, war effort.


 * e.) Minister for Justice - Minister in charge of judicial affairs of the realm.


 * f.) Minister for Health and Social Services - Minister in charge of Healthcare and Social affairs.


 * g.) Minister for Science and Technology - Minister in charge of research and technological advances.


 * h.) Minister for Trade and Industry - Minister in charge of trade(including foreign trading agreements) and Industrial development.
 * i.) Minister for Education and Culture - Minister in charge of Education and Cultural affairs.

Section V. of the Armed Forces
Art. XXXI. The Emperor is the Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces.

Art. XXXII. The Emperor may appoint commanders.

Art. XXXIII. The Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces is appointed by the consent of the Emperor, the Minister of War and the Minister-President.

Art. XXXIV. The Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces is de facto commander of the Armed Forces and has the control over all its resources.

Art. XXXV. The Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces appoints Deputy Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces and other members as well as signs appointements by the Emperor.

Art. XXXVI. The Inspector General of all Armed Forces is appointed by the Emperor who requires the consent of the Minister of War and Chief of Staff.

Art. XXXVII. The Inspector General of all Armed Forces proposes candidates for the positions of Inspector General of the Infantry, the Inspector General of the Cavalry and the Inspector General of the Navy. The candidates requires the Emperors and Minister of War's consent.





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