"The President Expected by the People is a National Representative Beyond Partisan Politics" [Constitutional Amendment, Connecting the Future]

Heinz Fischer, Former President of Austria, Discusses Constitutional Reform
Austria Adopts a Semi-Presidential System Close to Parliamentary Cabinet System
"Maintaining Political Stability and a Bipartisan Stance Is Crucial"
Separation of Powers: A Core Principle of European Democracies

Editor's NoteThe Constitution of the Republic of Korea is the foundation of the nation and the standard for the lives of its people. The '1987 system,' symbolizing the last constitutional amendment, is now being called into question. Considering nearly 40 years of changes, there is a need for new standards to redesign Korea's present and future. For members of the National Assembly and political scientists, constitutional amendment is recognized as an inevitable task of the times. The 'social turmoil' triggered by the declaration of martial law paradoxically revitalized the momentum for constitutional reform. Across the political spectrum and various sectors of society, constitutional amendment has emerged as a key topic of interest. Based on diagnoses from former presidents of European countries that have experienced constitutional amendments, political and economic scholars from the United States and Japan, the president of the Korean Constitutional Law Association, and former governors of the Bank of Korea, we aim to analyze this era of great transformation and sketch a constitutional amendment suited to our society.

Provided by Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria. Photo by Stephan Johann

"The Austrian people expect their president to rise above partisan politics and become a figure representing the entire nation. It is important for the president, as the representative of the country, to conduct diplomatic affairs, maintain political stability, and adopt a bipartisan stance."

Former Austrian President Heinz Fischer said this in a written interview with Asia Economy on the 25th when asked about the qualities necessary to become a respected president. President Fischer served as Austria's 11th president from 2004 to 2016. He majored in law and served as the leader of the Social Democratic Party for eight years starting in 1975. He also held significant roles in government and parliament, including Minister of Science and President of the National Council.

Austria, once a monarchy, experienced turmoil after its defeat in World War I. When the republic was established in 1918, Austria had no president. The speaker of the National Council acted as head of state, but with limited powers. In 1920, a new republican constitution was adopted, creating the office of the Federal President. In 1929, constitutional amendments introduced direct presidential elections and expanded presidential powers, including the authority to dissolve parliament. However, presidents generally refrained from exercising these powers actively and effectively served as political mediators.

A distinctive feature of Austria is the balance of power between the president and the chancellor. The president is elected by direct popular vote, but the country fundamentally operates as a parliamentary democracy. This characteristic relates to the historical context in which Austrians, having been ruled by the Habsburg monarchy for 600 years, simultaneously harbor nostalgia for and rejection of absolute monarchy.

President Fischer also has a deep connection with Korea. He was the first Austrian president to visit Korea since diplomatic relations between Austria and Korea began in 1963. He attended the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2019 Jeju Forum. Since 2018, he has served as co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Global Citizen Center established in Vienna, Austria's capital. Alongside former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he has been raising awareness on international issues such as combating the climate crisis and eradicating global poverty.

President Fischer is known for his humble character and personal practice of cooperative governance. His reputation as one of Austria's most respected politicians is closely linked to his approach to politics. He was elected in 2004 with 51.5% of the vote. Due to widespread public approval of his governance during his term, he was re-elected in 2010 with an overwhelming 79.4% support.

President Fischer stated, "In Austria, the president does not intervene in partisan politics," adding, "As long as the government complies with the constitution, the president refrains from interference, which is an important feature of Austrian political culture." The following is a Q&A.

Provided by Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria. Photo by Lisa Roithner

- Why did Austria amend its constitution in 1929 to introduce the presidential system?

▲ Austria was a monarchy for centuries. However, after losing World War I alongside Germany, revolutions occurred in both countries, and monarchies were replaced by republics. The Austrian emperor went into exile. The newly established 'Republic of Austria' strongly opposed the restoration of monarchy. Political leaders at the time hesitated to grant excessive powers to the president, fearing that a strong president might lead to a return of monarchy.

As a result, when the republic was founded in 1918, Austria had no president. Instead, the speaker of the National Council acted as head of state, but with very limited powers. Two years later, in 1920, a new republican constitution was adopted, creating the office of 'Federal President.' However, the president was elected by parliament and had almost no political power. In the 1920s, as conservative forces grew stronger and the left weakened, calls for a stronger president increased. Some even argued that the president should become a 'leader.' After long negotiations, a compromise was reached in 1929: the president would be elected by direct popular vote and granted additional powers, but Austria would remain a parliamentary democracy. This system remains in place today. The constitutional powers of the Austrian president are based on this century-old compromise. Among legal scholars and the public, it is generally agreed that the balance of power among the president, parliament, and government is well designed.

- The president is elected by direct vote, while the chancellor is appointed by the president. Why are the methods of selecting the president and chancellor different?

▲ The president is directly elected by the people, but the chancellor is appointed by the president. However, the chancellor can be dismissed at any time by a vote of no confidence in parliament. This structure plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of power. In other words, the chancellor must maintain the confidence of the president who appointed him or her, while also securing support from the parliament that can dismiss him or her. Otherwise, the chancellor must step down following a no-confidence vote.

- Why is the distribution of power between the president and chancellor important?

▲ The president's powers are generally well balanced. No Austrian political party has seriously challenged this aspect of the constitution. Separation of powers is a core principle of European democracies. This applies to the separation between the executive and legislative branches, as well as the division of roles within the presidency and government. The president exercises powers based on government proposals, with the exception of appointing the chancellor, which does not require government recommendation.

- Is there a concern about power concentration if the president and chancellor belong to the same party?

▲ Given Austria's history as a monarchy, the public views the president as a symbolic successor to the monarch. Therefore, they expect the president to maintain independence and neutrality in partisan politics. Since 1945, there have been no serious problems arising from the president and chancellor belonging to the same party. In fact, such situations have been rare. Austrian voters tend to balance power: if a right-wing party produces the chancellor, a left-leaning president is often elected, and vice versa.

- What qualities do you think make a president trustworthy?

▲ Historically, most Austrian presidents have been candidates who served as party leaders. In practice, they were individuals over 60 years old with extensive political experience. I was a former speaker of the National Council; Kurt Waldheim (1986?1992) was a former UN Secretary-General; Rudolf Kirchschl?ger (1974?1986) was a former foreign minister; and Alexander Van der Bellen, the current president (since 2017), was a leader of the Green Party. The Austrian president conducts diplomatic affairs as the national representative. It is important to maintain political stability and adopt a bipartisan stance. The public expects the president to rise above partisan politics and represent the entire nation.

Lastly, I would add that although the Austrian constitution grants the president considerable powers, the political situation greatly influences whether these powers are exercised. When a single party holds an absolute majority or a two-party coalition controls more than two-thirds of parliament, presidential power weakens. However, when five or more parties are represented in parliament, increasing coalition options, the president's influence grows. Currently, as Austria's multi-party system strengthens, the president's influence is increasing.

Provided by Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria. Photo by Stephan Johann

Who is Heinz Fischer, Former President of Austria?

Heinz Fischer, regarded as one of Austria's most trusted politicians, was born in 1938 and served as Austria's president from 2004 to 2016.

President Fischer majored in law at the University of Vienna. He led the Social Democratic Party for eight years starting in 1975 and was appointed Minister of Science in 1983. After serving as President of the National Council in 1990 and 2002, he was elected president in 2004 and successfully re-elected. Besides being a politician, he also worked as a professor of political science at the University of Innsbruck.

President Fischer is known for his modesty. During his time as National Council president, he commuted on foot for 20 minutes daily from his home to the parliament. He pledged during his presidential campaign to continue living in his apartment and fulfilled this promise. Elected in 2004 with 52% of the vote, he maintained over 80% approval in 2007, mid-term, and secured 79% of the vote in his re-election. Local media described him as a 'master of compromise and mediation,' noting that 'even political adversaries highly respect his humility.'

After completing his presidential term, President Fischer has maintained ties with Korea, attending the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2019 Jeju Forum. Since 2018, he has served as co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Global Citizen Center in Vienna alongside former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, engaging in educational activities aimed at overcoming the climate crisis, eradicating poverty in the developing world, and promoting gender equality.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.