Youth parliament

At the federal level in Austria, there is no national youth parliament with a formal mandate to influence legislative decision-making. The existing national Youth Parliament formats primarily serve an educational purpose, strengthening political literacy and democratic awareness among young people. At the provincial and municipal level, however, there are Youth Parliaments that exist as participation instrument, providing children and young people with structured opportunities to voice their concerns in local politics and actively contribute to shaping their communities. 

The Youth Parliament (Jugendparlament) at national level

The Austrian Youth Parliament offers young people a valuable opportunity to experience democratic processes and parliamentary decision-making first-hand. Held regularly at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna, the programme invites pupils from the 9^th-grade of all school types to participate in mock parliamentary sessions designed for educational purposes. Prior to the event, a jury selects the most creative responses to the question, ‘What does democracy mean to you and your classmates?’ The Parliamentary Directorate covers all travel, accommodation and catering costs for pupils and teachers. During the simulated session, participants form fictional parliamentary clubs, develop positions on legislative proposals, elect chairpersons and send representatives to committees. Guided by Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff, the participants then negotiate, reach compromises and present their results in a plenary debate. 

In addition to school pupils, apprentices also have the opportunity to experience parliamentary work first-hand through the Apprentices’ Parliament (Lehrlingsparlament), which follows a similar format and procedure. 

Provincial and municipal/local Youth Parliaments

Provincial and Municipal Youth Parliaments in Austria provide young people with a structured way to participate in local decision-making and contribute their perspectives to local politics. 

Provincial Youth Parliaments (‘Jugendlandtag’)

In Austria, the provincial youth parliament (Jugendlandtag) is a participatory format organised at the level of the federal states (Länder). It brings together young people, typically aged between 16 and 24, from different districts to discuss youth-related issues directly with politicians in the official Landtag chambers. While formats and age ranges vary between provinces, Jugendlandtage are usually held on a regular basis in provinces including Salzburg (Jugendlandtag Salzburg), Styria (Jugendlandtag Steiermark) and Upper Austria (Jugendlandtag Oberösterreich), and aim to familiarise young people with political processes, strengthen democratic competences and encourage civic engagement. By giving young participants the opportunity to present proposals and debate them in a formal political setting, the Jugendlandtag helps to translate youth perspectives into political discourse and fosters a practical experience of democracy. 

Municipal and local Youth Parliaments

Municipal initiatives such as the Children- and Youth Parliament (Kinder- und Jugendparlament) and the district-based Word Up! (in German) programme in Vienna enable children and young people to collaborate directly with city officials and policymakers. Through a co-creative process, participants, who are between 14 and 20 years old, work alongside representatives from politics and administration to develop concrete measures supporting the goals of the Vienna Children’s and Youth Strategy 2025-2030 (Wiener Kinder- und Jugendstrategie). The process typically unfolds over several stages: children participate in school workshops as part of the Childrens’ Parliament (Kinderparlament), while young people in the Youth Parliament (Jugendparlament) engage in committee meetings and working groups. Both groups come together for a final joint session, where they present their ideas and decisions. The Word Up! initiative extends this concept to the district level. In selected Viennese districts students from the 7^th and 8^th grades can propose projects, submit requests to district councils, and even help implement approved initiatives. Supported and funded by the City of Vienna, these participatory structures strengthen democratic awareness and promote active youth citizenship at the local level. 

Youth councils and/or youth advisory boards

Austrian National Youth Council (Bundesjugendvertretung, BJV)

The Austrian National Youth Council is the official legal representative body for young people in Austria. Established under the Federal Youth Representation Act (Bundes-Jugendvertretungsgesetz), which came into force in 2001, its aim is to strengthen youth participation at the federal level. The Council comprises over 50 member organisations representing a variety of youth perspectives. These include political party youth wings, faith-based groups, student and school bodies, minority and community associations, and provincial youth councils. Membership is open to youth organisations that meet the statutory requirements, ensuring inclusive representation. Recognised by law as a social partner in policy consultations, the BJV holds equal status with other representative bodies, including employer and employee associations. The BJV advocates for young people in all areas of public policy and represents Austria’s youth internationally, particularly within the European Youth Forum. Governance is exercised through a plenary assembly of members and an elected executive board comprising co-chairs, board members and a managing director. Board members must be under 30 years of age and serve two-year-terms, ensuring that the organisation remains youth-led. 

The Council focuses on five main fields of action: 

• Education and Work (Bildung und Arbeit): education, employment and non-formal education
• Youth and Politics (Jugend und Politik): participation, civic education, anti-fascism, sustainability, internet/network policy
• Children and Youth (Kinder und Jugend): rights, protection, volunteering, sexuality, conscription/civilian service, health
• Equality (Gleichberechtigung): gender equality, diversity, anti-discrimination, intergenerational justice, poverty
• Europe and International Affairs (Europa und Internationales)

Funding comes from state contributions, membership fees, and donations. 

Youth councils at regional and local level

Several federal provinces in Austria have set up regional youth councils to advise regional governments and youth departments on issues affecting young people. Whether consultation with these councils is mandatory is determined by each federal state individually. These regional youth councils comprise representatives of recognised youth organisations, who are usually nominated by their respective organisations. They meet to discuss youth policy issues, develop common positions and issue recommendations. Usually created and regulated by provincial youth legislation, they typically meet several times a year, with many electing a chairperson or board. Administrative support is usually provided by the provincial youth department. Through their membership of the Austrian National Youth Council, the regional youth councils are also connected to national youth representation structures. 

At the local level, youth councils also operate in various cities and municipalities. In the municipality of Villach (province of Carinthia), for instance, the Youth Council (Jugendrat der Stadt Villach), established in 1997 as Austria’s first such body, enables young people aged 14-19 who live, study, or train in the city to stand as candidates and be elected by peers through school and youth centre elections every two years. The Council holds speaking rights in the Municipal Council and provides advisory input on youth-relevant issues across committees. 

Higher education student union(s)

Austrian National Union of Students (Österreichische Hoschschüler_innenschaft, ÖH)

The Austrian National Union of Students (Österreichische Hoschschüler_innenschaft, ÖH) is the official legal representative body of all university students in Austria, recognised by the federal law under the Federal Student’s Union Act (HSG 2014). It acts as both a student government and a political advocacy body, representing students in national and international decision-making processes. Membership is compulsory for all students, including PhD candidates, who pay a semester fee of €25.20 to fund representation and services. 

The Student Union has three levels of representation that are directly elected every two years: 

• Study Programme Representation (Studienvertretung) for individual fields of study
• University Representation (Hochschulvertretung) at institutional level
• Federal Representation (Bundesvertretung) for all students nationwide

At the federal level, the Students Union represents students in negotiations with ministries and participates in the drafting of laws affecting higher education. It also advocates for students internationally through organisations such as the European Students’ Union (ESU), the Bologna Follow-up Group, and Eurodoc. It also offers extensive support services, including free counselling and legal advice, job and housing listings (Schwarzes Brett), the ÖH Helpline and Social Fund, insurance coverage, project funding (e.g. feminist and queer initiatives), student information platforms (Studienplattformand Studieren Probieren), and publications such as the magazine Progress and the ÖH newsletter. 

The Federal Representation (Bundesvertretung) consists of 55 elected members, meets twice per semester, and works through thematic committees on education, social policy, equality, international affairs, economics, and special initiatives. Except for the economic committee, meetings are open to the public. A 14-member Controlling Commission oversees the Student Union’s financial and organisational performance. 

School student union(s)

In Austria, pupils’ representation is legally protected and anchored in the Pupils' Representation Act (Schülervertretungengesetz). Representatives act on three levels, the school level, the regional level and the national level.

The Federal Pupils' Representative Council (Bundesschülervertretung, BSV) is the legally elected body representing the interests of pupils in Austria and is reconstituted every year at the beginning of school. The BSV consists of 29 members - the 27 regional school representatives and the 2 representatives of the central educational institutions. All members are pupils and work on a voluntary basis. At the beginning of each school year, the national school spokesperson and the divisional spokespersons for the coming school year are elected from among them. The task of the BSV is to highlight and represent the interests of the pupils vis-à-vis politicians, especially the Ministry of Education.

School level

In each secondary school, pupil representatives are elected. The representatives are part of the school’s statutory elected panel (Schulgemeinschaftsausschuss) of teachers, parents and pupils at Austrian secondary schools. The first three pupil’s representatives are eligible to vote alongside three teacher representatives and three parental representatives. The panel is the most important committee of the school life - many important questions such as the house order or school-autonomous regulations are decided here. In addition, the head pupil’s representative has the right to give his vote in the election of the representation in the province or can be elected on this level. The rights of the pupil's representation are extensive and reach from convoking a meeting of class representatives to the right of participation in staff meetings and disciplinary conferences, hearings and speech contributions.

Provincial level

The provincial pupil's representations in Austria is formed from three school types, the general secondary schools (allgemeinbildende höher Schulen, AHS), vocational middle and secondary schools (berufsbildende mittlere und höhere Schulen, BMHS) as well as the vocational schools (Berufsschulen, BS). For every school type, four to eight members (according to size of the federal state) and the same numbers of substitutes are elected once a year. The head representatives are actively entitled to vote for their respective school type. They and the first two substitutes can be candidates for this election. The provincial pupil's representations consist of three head representatives and further nine to 21 other members as well as twelve to 24 substitute members. This body is entitled to represent the pupil’s interests vis-à-vis the state parliament and the province school board.

The three head provincial pupil’s representatives are entitled to take part in the election to the federal pupil's representation. In most cases, teams of the two country-wide represented Austrian pupil's organisations, lit. the action of critical pupils (Aktion kritischer Schülerinnen und Schüler, AKS) and the pupil's union (Schülerunion, SU) run for election. Both are financed by the corresponding political parties.

Federal level

The federal pupil's representation consists of three provincial pupils’ representatives of each of the nine Austrian federal states as well as two representatives of the central teaching institutions (Zentrallehranstalt, ZLA), a total of 29 members. These elect among themselves a federal head as well as a speaker for each school type (AHS, BMHS and BS). The federal chairperson is elected for one year and is entitled to take part and to be consulted at negotiations about school topics by the Federal Minister.

Other bodies

Most youth organisations and NGOs are part of the Austrian Federal Youth Council (Bundesjugendvertretung) and therefore not presented separately. All statutory bodies – the representatives for youth, students, and pupils – have been depicted above.