Federal Ministry of the Interior (Austria)


The Federal Ministry of the Interior of Austria is a federal government agency on cabinet-level, serving as the interior ministry of the Austrian Government. It is mainly in charge of the civilian protection, but also for affairs relating to the citizenship, elections, referendums, popular petitions and the alternative civilian service. All of the country's law enforcement agencies are part of the ministry.
The Ministry of the Interior is often unofficially considered as the perhaps second most powerful federal ministry, ranking after the Ministry of Finance. Together with the Defense Ministry it controls the great majority of Austria's armed organizations.
Its head and chief executive authority is the [|Minister of the Interior], currently Vacant. Right under the Minister is the [|General secretary], currently Peter Goldgruber, who serves as the agency's head of operations and second-highest-ranking official. The [|State secretary], currently Karoline Edtstadler, could be seen as an overseeing authority for the coalition party that hasn't obtained the minister post. The ministry is one of the few, that has a cabinet chief, he serves as chief of staff to the minister.
The Ministry was originally created as "Imperial and Royal Ministry of the Interior", serving as the empire-wide interior ministry for Austria-Hungary. It was succeeded by the "state office of the Interior" of the First Republic in 1918, and later renamed into "Federal Ministry of the Interior". After the dissolution of Nazi Germany in 1945 the Ministry was reestablished into its current form.
The Palais Modena is the ministry's central headquarters, it is located in the center of Austria's federal capital Vienna.

History

Until 1848 internal affairs of the country was under the responsibility of the Austro-Bohemian Court Chancellery which was established by Empress Maria Theresia. In 1848 the ministry was established with the name of the Ministry of the Interior. Between 1918 and 1920 it was called State Office of the Interior. Then it was merged with the ministry of education and was renamed as State Office and Federal Ministry of the Interior and of Education. The body was integrated into the federal government in 1923. Following World War II it was renamed into its current title, Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Responsibilities

The federal agency on cabinet-level is charged with the matters of public security, citizenship and civil status including legal names, elections, referendums and popular petitions as well as emergency management and the alternative civilian service.
As superior of the Directorate General for Public Security, the Minister for the Interior is in charge of the Federal Police, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism, the EKO Cobra tactical unit as well as of the Federal Criminal Police Office. Beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal Chancellery, the Ministry is also responsible for the matters of the Austrian states and municipalities, foundations and sovereign wealth funds.

Organization

The ministry consists of: