About the State Parliament of Lower Austria

• Country: Austria (9,2 million residents, 84,000 km²) - Österreich
• Federal State: Lower Austria (1.73 million residents, 19,000 km²) - Niederösterreich
• Capital: Sankt Pölten (approx. 60.000 residents)
• Language: German
• Administrative Districts: 24
• Municipalities: 573

The State Parliament of Lower Austria (Landtag von Niederösterreich) is the legislative body of the federal state. In its modern form, it has existed since 1861 (February Patent), with roots going back to the medieval Landtaiding.

• Members: 56
• Term of office: 5 years
• Members are elected by the people, exercise an independent mandate, and enjoy parliamentary immunity

• Austrian citizenship
• Main residence in Lower Austria
• Voting age: 16 years
• Candidates must be 18 years or older

The federal constitutional framework grants legislative powers to the nine federal states. The areas of responsibility at the state level include, among others:

• State constitution and administration
• Building law and spatial planning
• Traffic infrastructure and public events
• Nature and environmental protection
• Local public safety and sports
• Hunting and fishing legislation

The parliament elects and monitors the State Government and the state budget. It is supported by the independent Court of Auditors of Lower Austria.

The Federal Council (second chamber of the federal parliament) is elected by the state parliaments. 12 Federal Council members represent Lower Austria.

• The State Parliament (Landtag) elects the Members of the State Government (Landesregierung) including the Governor (Landeshauptmann/Landeshauptfrau).
• The Governor represents Lower Austria externally and leads the State Government. Since April 19, 2017 (re-elected in 2023), Johanna Mikl-Leitner has served as Governor.
• State parliamentary elections are held at least every five years.
• Political parties are represented in proportion to their share of votes.

VPNÖ (People’s Party): 23 seats

FPÖ (Freedom Party): 14 seats

SPÖ (Social Democratic Party): 12 seats

GRÜNE (Green Party): 4 seats

NEOS (Liberal Party): 3 seats

Name: Landtagsklub der Volkspartei Niederösterreich
Number of members: 23
Contact details: post.vpklub@noel.gv.at

Name: FPÖ Niederösterreich Landtagsklub
Number of members: 14
Contact details: post.fpklub@noel.gv.at

Name: Klub der Sozialdemokratischen Landtagsabgeordneten Niederösterreichs
Number of members: 12
Contact details: post.spoeklubnoe@noel.gv.at

Name: Grüner Klub im NÖ Landtag
Number of members: 4
Contact details: landtag@gruene.at

Name: NEOS Niederösterreich
Number of members: 3
Contact details: landtag.noe@neos.eu

Lower Austria surrounds Vienna and was historically governed from the capital. As recently as 1986, Sankt Pölten was designated as the new capital. By 1997, parliament, government and key institutions had relocated there.

As Austria’s largest state by area and second-largest by population, Lower Austria borders:

• Czech Republic (north)
• Upper Austria (west)
• Slovakia (east)
• Styria (south)
• Burgenland and Hungary (southeast)

The Danube River has shaped the region’s identity and divides it into:

• Northern part: Waldviertel, Weinviertel
• Southern part: Mostviertel, Industrieviertel

The Danube has been vital for transport since Roman times and is now part of the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, linking the Atlantic and the Black Sea.

Lower Austria is:

• The historical heart of Austria: The first mention of Austria as Ostarrichi (996 AD) comes from Neuhofen/Ybbs.
• A centre of agriculture, industry, and raw materials
• A popular destination for culture and leisure tourism
• A growing hub for higher education and cutting-edge research:
  Over the past 30 years, Lower Austria has developed a dynamic academic and research landscape. Renowned institutions include the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Danube University Krems, the Karl Landsteiner Private University, the cancer treatment and research center MedAustron and several universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen).

Lower Austria derives its name from its geographical location below the River Enns, in contrast to Upper Austria, which lies above the Enns. Historically, it was known as “Austria below the Enns”, while Upper Austria was referred to as “Austria above the Enns”.