The State of Vorarlberg on the Internet

Club chairman:
Dr Rainer Gögele
(20 State Parliament seats)

Austrian People's Party - State Parliament club

Club chairman:
Dieter Egger
(9 State Parliament seats)

Vorarlberg Freedom Party - State Parliament club 

Club chairman:
Johannes Rauch
(4 State Parliament seats)

The Green Party - State Parliament club

Club chairman:
Michael Ritsch
(3 State Parliament seats)

Social Democrat Party - State Parliament club

Election candidates belonging to the same party form a State Parliament parliamentary group. Groups with at least three members have the right to form a State Parliament club. Each club is provided with two offices and a meeting room. In the clubs, each of which is chaired by an elected chairman, the parliamentary group consults and prepares the State Parliament and committee issues.

Election of the State Parliament
The 36 members of the State Parliament are elected by the people for a term of five years. A person eligible to vote must be a citizen of the State on the date of the election, be permanently resident in the State, entered in the electoral register, not excluded from voting and 16 years old on the 1st of January of the election year. 

The four administration districts of Bludenz, Bregenz, Dornbirn and Feldkirch each form a constituency for election to the State Parliament. 10 deputies were elected in the constituency of Bregenz, 12 in Feldkirch and 7each in Bludenz and Dornbirn. 

All of the western democratic constitutions divide State power into legislature, administration and judiciary. In Austria the legislature and the administration are divided over the federal government and the nine States. The legislative power of the States is subject to the State Parliament, the executive to the State Government. 

The work of the State Parliament
Matters dealt with by the State Parliament could include:

• Petitions for referenda
• Independent applications by at least three members of the State Parliament
• State Parliament committee bills
• Provincial government bills
• Reports and declarations of the State Government
• Discussion of enquiries
• Petitions by authorities to suspend the immunity of deputies
• Reports by the public prosecutor, investigation committees, the State control department, the State audit office or the federal audit office in Vienna
• Petitions
• Elections