Distribution of competence and the like: How Austria’s constitution remained a jungle

“Austria is a democratic republic. Their right is from the people.” This is Article 1 of the Federal Constitutional Act (B-VG). But this grandeur does not run through its further text – on the contrary. At the latest in the case of the provisions on the distribution of competence between the federal and state governments, this becomes clear in view of individual differentiations: For the electricity system, for example, the federal government may issue fundamental laws, which are then concretized and also carried out by the federal states in execution laws. Of course, this only applies partially – for the typing of electrical systems, for example, the federal government is completely responsible.