Youth parliament

The Youth parliament (Jugendparlament) at national level 

The Austrian Youth Parliament offers young people a valuable opportunity to experience democratic processes first-hand and understand parliamentary decision-making. Organised on a regular basis at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna, the programme invites pupils from 9th grade of all school types, to participate in mock parliamentary sessions. A jury then selects the most creative entries 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 accompanying teachers. 

During the simulation, students are divided into fictitious parliamentary clubs. Each club develops positions on legislative proposals, elects a chairperson and selects representatives for committee deliberations. The clubs then negotiate and seek compromises before presenting their decision in a plenary session, with the support of MPs and parliamentary staff. Although the Youth Parliament does not directly influence legislative decision, it plays a vital educational role in promoting democratic awareness among young people. 

Local youth parliaments

In the municipality of Villach (province of Carinthia), young people aged 14 to 19 can stand as candidates for the local ‘Youth Council’ (Jugendrat), provided they live or study/train in Villach. They are elected by their peers, who can vote in schools and youth centers. Youth Council elections take place every two years. In 2019, almost 1000 young people from Villach elected their representatives to the Youth Council. The model of co-determination has been in existence since 1997. The Youth Council has the right to speak in the Municipal Council and is consulted in an advisory capacity on issues relevant to young people in the various committees. Villach was the first city in Austria to have such a body. A trend sports facility and festivals are among the many projects implemented. The Youth Council is a way of taking the concerns of our young citizens seriously and involving them in many issues, thus letting them have a say in shaping the future.

In the local youth parliament called ‘word up!’ (in German) young people can make requests and demands to the district council and may become involved in their implementation. word up! exists in the districts Leopoldstadt, Alsergrund, Simmering, Brigittenau and Liesing in Vienna. This initiative is funded by the City of Vienna. In workshops, plenary sessions, inspections, and other events the pupils of the 7th and 8th grades develop their proposals, discuss them with the district leaders and representatives of the responsible municipal departments and implement the projects.

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 Representation Act (Bundes-Jugendvertretungsgesetz), which came into force on 1 January 2001, the Council was created to strengthen youth participation at the federal level. It brings together a wide range of youth organisations, including political youth groups, faith-based organisations, minority associations, school and student bodies, and provincial youth advisory councils. As of 2021, it comprises 56 ordinary and 3 extraordinary member organisations. Any youth organisation that meets the statutory criteria may join, thereby ensuring the diverse and comprehensive representation of young people’s interests. 

Recognised as the legal representative of Austria’s youth, the Council holds equal status with other official stakeholder groups such as employee or employer associations. It acts as a social partner in political negotiations and advocates on all matters affecting young people. Internationally, it participates in networks such as the European Youth Forum. The plenary assembly of all members meets at least annually to elect the executive board, which includes four co-chairs, up to eight additional board members, and a managing director (with advisory status). Board members must be under 30 years of age and serve for two years, with the board meeting at least eight times annually. 

The Council focuses its work across five main areas: Education and Work (Bildung und Arbeit), Youth and Politics (Jugend und Politik), Children and Youth (Kinder und Jugend), Equality (Gleichberechtigung), Europe and International Affairs (Europa und Internationales). Funding is provided through state contributions, membership fees and donations. 

Youth councils at regional and local level

In the federal provinces, some youth councils exist that are to consult and advise the regional governments and the youth departments. The federal states decide whether the consultation is compulsory. Such regional youth councils exist in the provinces Burgenland, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Upper Austria, Vienna and Vorarlberg. The councils consist of representatives of youth organisations.

On a local level, youth councils exist in various cities and municipalities and districts of Vienna.

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.