Landeshauptmann

Landeshauptmann is the title of the head of government of a federal state (Bundesland) in Austria. The feminine form is Landeshauptfrau. The office is used in eight of the nine Austrian states; Vienna uses the compound title Bürgermeister und Landeshauptmann, reflecting its status as both city and state. The Landeshauptmann leads the state government (Landesregierung) and acts as the state’s chief representative in relations with the federal government and other states.

The Landeshauptmann is elected by the state parliament (Landtag) after state elections, typically from the ranks of the parliament’s members, and forms the state government together with other state ministers (Landesräte). The position is tied to the confidence of the Landtag, and a vote of no confidence can remove the Landeshauptmann. The office carries responsibilities for areas devolved to the state by the constitution, such as education, regional development, policing coordination, culture, and administration, and the Landeshauptmann chairs cabinet meetings and implements state policy within the framework of federal law.

Historically, the term has roots in the governance of Habsburg crown lands, where a Landeshauptmann served as a top provincial administrator. In modern Austria, the title denotes the elected executive leader of a state, distinct from the federal level and from local municipal offices. The exact powers and procedures are defined by each state constitution and related laws, though the general pattern—election by the state parliament and leadership of the Landesregierung—applies nationwide.