After the state elections in Lower Austria, the coalition of the ÖVP and the Greens is in danger of losing the majority in the Bundesrat. According to its current status, the ÖVP would lose two mandates and provide 24 of the 61 federal councilors. One of her mandates goes to the Greens, who will have six Federal Councilors, the second to the FPÖ (eleven Federal Councilors in the future).
With 31 of the 61 mandates, the opposition therefore has the majority in the state chamber and can put laws passed in the National Council on hold.
According to initial forecasts, the ÖVP will continue to have the most federal councilors with 24, followed by the SPÖ (19), FPÖ (11), Greens (six) and NEOS with one federal councillor. With 31 mandates, the opposition has more federal councilors than the black-green federal government’s 30.
Equality in commissions
In the future, this opposition majority will apply in the plenum, but not in the committees. Only federal councilors belonging to a parliamentary group are represented. The NEOS currently have only one federal councilor and therefore no parliamentary group of their own. So the commissions are tied at 30 to 30, so both groups could block each other. The committees are particularly relevant to EU affairs.
In the future, the state of Lower Austria will send five black, three red and blue representatives and one green representative to the Federal Council.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
