The History of Austria 27is primarily a figurehead. It is the chancellor who runs the
federal government. Parliament consists of two houses, the
Nationalrat and the Bundesrat. The Nationalrat is the upper
house and has greater powers, including the mandate to
pass legislation. Its 183 members are directly elected by
the population for four-year terms. The Bundesrat, or lower
house, is mainly concerned with safeguarding the rights of
the provinces. Its 63 members are elected by the parliaments
of the federal states. The number of representatives per
province ranges from three to 12 and is based on the size of
its population.
The Austrian Parliament is made up of two houses, the Nationalrat and
the Bundesrat.