The Austrian Federal Constitution (1920) and the Weimar Constitution (1919). The Harmful Influence of Weimar on the Austrian Constitution

Authors

  • András Jakab Universität Salzburg

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17811/hc.v0i20.615

Keywords:

parliamentarism, semi-presidential systems, authoritarian regimes, theories of democracy, erosion of democracy

Abstract

The Austrian Federal Constitution (1920) was adopted one year later than the Weimar Constitution. The constitutional developments in Germany were carefully followed during the Austrian constitution-making process, and at certain points (especially concerning the distribution of competences between the Bund and the Länder) the German text was borrowed by the Austrian constitution-maker. The most important influence, however, happened in 1929 when (inspired by the Weimar Constitution) a semi-presidential system was introduced in Austria instead of the original (1920) pure parliamentary system. This change was both from a democracy theoretical and a practical constitutional-political perspective a deterioration that has effects until today on the Austrian constitutional system.

Fecha de envío / Submission date: 29/04/2019

Fecha de aceptación /Acceptance date: 14/05/2019

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Published

2019-05-27

Issue

No. 20 (2019): Historia Constitucional N. 20 (2019)

Section

The Weimar Constitution in its centenary (1919-2019)

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