Minister of the Interior (Austria)

Minister of the Interior Bundesminister für Inneres
Coat of arms
Incumbent Gerhard Karner since 6 December 2021
Style	Mr. Minister His Excellency
Type	Interior Minister
Status	Supreme executive organ Minister
Member of	Cabinet National Security Council
Seat	Ministry of the Interior, Minoritenplatz, Innere Stadt, Vienna
Appointer	The President on advice of the Chancellor
Term length	No fixed term
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Austria Security Policing Act
Precursor	Interior Minister of Cisleithania
Formation	10 November 1920 (1920-11-10)
First holder	Heinrich Mataja
Website	bmi.gv.at

The minister of the interior (German: Bundesminister für Inneres) is the head and chief executive of the Ministry of the Interior as well as the ultimate authority in matters public security in Austria.

The incumbent minister of the Interior is Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). The minister is appointed by the president on advice of the chancellor.

Powers and duties

The Federal Constitutional Law itself expressly designates the minister as the supreme authority in matters of public security (Oberste Sicherheitsbehörde) and places the police directorates immediately beneath the control of the minister. In this capacity, and as a supreme executive organ, the minister bears ultimate responsibly for the direction of law enforcement and the administration of security policy, and cannot be overruled by any other officer or body within the executive branch. The minister is assisted by a secretary general, who administers the day-to-day ministerial operations, and by a director general for public security, who serves as Austria's top career law enforcement officer and superintends most specialized police agencies.

The minister of the interior is the only constitutionally mandated minister position in Austria.

List of ministers

Austrian Empire

No.	Portrait	Minister of the Interior	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Kolowrat, FranzFranz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky (1778–1861)	29 September 1826	20 March 1848	21 years, 173 days
2		Pillersdorf, FranzBaron Franz von Pillersdorf (1786–1862)	20 March 1848	8 July 1848	110 days
3		Doblhoff, AntonBaron Anton von Doblhoff-Dier (1800–1872)	8 July 1848	30 October 1848	114 days
4		Stadion, FranzFranz Stadion, Count von Warthausen (1806–1853)	21 November 1848	28 July 1849	249 days
5		Bach, AlexanderBaron Alexander von Bach (1813–1893)	28 July 1849	22 August 1859	10 years, 25 days
6		Gołuchowski, AgenorAgenor Romuald Gołuchowski (1812–1875)	22 August 1859	13 December 1860	1 year, 113 days
7		Schmerling, AntonAnton von Schmerling (1806–1893)	13 December 1860	26 June 1865	4 years, 195 days
8		Belcredi, RichardCount Richard Belcredi (1823–1902)	27 July 1865	7 February 1867	1 year, 226 days
9		Beust, FriedrichFriedrich Ferdinand von Beust (1809–1886)	7 February 1867	7 March 1867	28 days
10		Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895)	7 March 1867	30 December 1867	298 days

Cisleithania

No.	Portrait	Minister of the Interior	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Giskra, CarlCarl Giskra (1820–1879)	1 January 1868	22 March 1870	2 years, 80 days
2		Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895)	14 April 1870	6 February 1871	298 days
3		Hohenwart, KarlCount Karl Sigmund von Hohenwart (1824–1899)	7 February 1871	30 October 1871	265 days
4		Holzgethan, LudwigBaron Ludwig von Holzgethan (1800–1876) Acting	30 October 1871	24 November 1871	25 days
5		Zollheim, JosefJosef Lasser von Zollheim (1814–1879)	25 November 1871	5 July 1878	6 years, 222 days
6		Auersperg, AdolfPrince Adolf of Auersperg (1821–1885)	5 July 1878	15 February 1879	225 days
-		Stremayr, KarlKarl von Stremayr (1823–1904) Acting	15 February 1879	12 August 1879	178 days
(2)		Taaffe, EduardEduard Taaffe, 11th Viscount Taaffe (1833–1895)	12 August 1879	11 November 1893	14 years, 91 days
-		Stremayr, KarlKarl von Stremayr (1823–1904) Acting	12 August 1879	16 February 1880	188 days
-		Eybesfeld, SigmundSigmund Conrad von Eybesfeld (1821–1898) Acting	16 February 1880	5 November 1885	5 years, 262 days
-		Frankenthurn, PaulPaul Gautsch von Frankenthurn (1851–1918) Acting	5 November 1885	11 November 1893	8 years, 6 days
6		Bacquehem, OlivierOlivier Marquis de Bacquehem (1847–1917)	11 November 1893	18 June 1895	1 year, 219 days
7		Kielmansegg, ErichCount Erich Kielmansegg (1847–1923)	18 June 1895	30 September 1895	104 days
8		Badeni, KasimirCount Kasimir Felix Badeni (1846–1909)	30 September 1895	28 November 1897	2 years, 59 days
9		Frankenthurn, PaulPaul Gautsch von Frankenthurn (1851–1918)	28 November 1897	5 March 1898	97 days
10		Thun, FranzFranz, Prince of Thun and Hohenstein (1847–1916)	5 March 1898	2 October 1899	1 year, 211 days
11		Koerber, ErnestErnest von Koerber (1850–1919)	2 October 1899	21 December 1899	80 days
12		Stummer, JosefJosef Stummer (1834–1903)	21 December 1899	18 January 1900	1 year, 0 days
(11)		Koerber, ErnestErnest von Koerber (1850–1919)	18 January 1900	27 December 1904	4 years, 344 days
13		Bylandt-Rheidt, ArturArtur Bylandt-Rheidt (1854–1915)	1 January 1905	30 April 1906	1 year, 119 days
14		Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, KonradPrince Konrad of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1863–1918)	2 May 1906	28 May 1906	26 days
15		Bienerth-Schmerling, RichardCount Richard von Bienerth-Schmerling (1863–1918)	2 June 1906	7 November 1908	2 years, 158 days
16		Haerdtl, GuidoBaron Guido von Haerdtl (1859–1928)	15 November 1908	9 January 1911	2 years, 55 days
17		Wickenburg, MaximilianMax Wickenburg (1857–1918)	9 January 1911	28 October 1911	292 days
18		von Heinold-Udynski, KarlKarl Heinold (1862–1943)	3 November 1911	30 November 1915	4 years, 27 days
(14)		Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, KonradPrince Konrad of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1863–1918)	30 November 1915	29 August 1916	273 days
19		Handel, ErasmusErasmus von Handel (1860–1928)	29 August 1916	21 October 1916	53 days
20		Schwartzenau, ErwinErwin Schwartzenau (1858–1926)	31 October 1916	13 December 1916	43 days
(19)		Handel, ErasmusErasmus von Handel (1860–1928)	20 December 1916	23 June 1917	185 days
21		Toggenburg, FriedrichFriedrich von Toggenburg (1860–1928)	23 June 1917	11 June 1918	353 days
22		Gayer, EdmundEdmund von Gayer (1860–1952)	11 June 1918	22 July 1918	41 days
(21)		Gayer, EdmundEdmund von Gayer (1860–1952)	25 July 1918	11 November 1918	109 days

First Republic

No.	Portrait	Minister of the Interior	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Cabinet
1		Mataja, HeinrichHeinrich Mataja (1877–1937)	30 October 1918	15 March 1919	136 days	CS	Renner I Cabinet
2		Renner, KarlKarl Renner (1870–1950)	15 March 1919	9 May 1919	55 days	SDAPÖ	Renner II Cabinet
3		Eldersch, MatthiasMatthias Eldersch (1869–1931)	9 May 1919	7 July 1920	1 year, 59 days	SDAPÖ	Renner II–III
4		Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944)	7 July 1920	20 November 1920	136 days	Independent	Mayr I Cabinet
5		Glanz, EgonEgon Glanz (1880–1945)	20 November 1920	7 April 1921	138 days	Independent	Mayr II Cabinet
-		Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944) Acting	7 April 1921	23 April 1921	16 days	Independent	Mayr II Cabinet
6		Ramek, RudolfRudolf Ramek (1881–1941)	23 April 1921	21 June 1921	59 days	CS	Mayr II Cabinet
7		Waber, LeopoldLeopold Waber (1875–1945)	21 June 1921	16 January 1922	209 days	GDVP	Schober I Cabinet
-		Schober, JohannJohann Schober (1874–1932) Acting	16 January 1922	26 January 1922	10 days	Independent	Schober I Cabinet
-		Breisky, WalterWalter Breisky (1871–1944) Acting	26 January 1922	27 January 1922	1 day	Independent	Breisky Cabinet
-		Schober, JohannJohann Schober (1874–1932) Acting	27 January 1922	31 May 1922	124 days	Independent	Schober II Cabinet
8		Frank, FelixFelix Frank (1874–1932)	31 May 1922	17 April 1923	321 days	GDVP	Seipel I Cabinet
9		Seipel, IgnazIgnaz Seipel (1874–1932)	17 April 1923	22 November 1924	1 year, 219 days	CS	Seipel II–III
(6)		Ramek, RudolfRudolf Ramek (1881–1941)	22 November 1924	20 October 1926	59 days	CS	Ramek I Cabinet–II
(9)		Seipel, IgnazIgnaz Seipel (1874–1932)	20 October 1926	4 May 1929	2 years, 196 days	CS	Seipel II–III Ramek I–II Seipel IV–V
10		Streeruwitz, ErnstErnst Streeruwitz (1874–1932)	4 May 1929	26 September 1929	145 days	CS	Streeruwitz Cabinet
11		Streeruwitz, ErnstVinzenz Schumy (1878–1962)	26 September 1929	30 September 1930	1 year, 4 days	Landbund	Schober III Cabinet
12		Starhemberg, ErnstErnst Rüdiger Starhemberg (1878–1962)	30 September 1930	4 December 1930	65 days	Heimatblock	Vaugoin Cabinet
13		Winkler, FranzFranz Winkler (1890–1945)	4 December 1930	20 May 1932	1 year, 168 days	Landbund	Ender Cabinet Buresch I Cabinet–II
14		Bachinger, FranzFranz Bachinger (1892–1938)	20 May 1932	10 May 1933	355 days	Landbund	Dollfuss I Cabinet
(11)		Streeruwitz, ErnstVinzenz Schumy (1878–1962)	10 May 1933	23 September 1933	136 days	Landbund	Dollfuss I Cabinet
15		Kerber, RobertRobert Kerber (1884–1977)	23 September 1933	30 July 1934	310 days	CS	Dollfuss II Cabinet
16		Fey, EmilEmil Fey (1886–1938)	30 July 1934	29 October 1935	1 year, 91 days	Heimatblock	Dollfuss II Cabinet
17		Baar, EduardEduard Baar-Baarenfels (1885–1967)	29 October 1935	3 November 1936	1 year, 5 days	VF	Schuschnigg I Cabinet–II
18		Schuschnigg, KurtKurt Schuschnigg (1897–1977)	3 November 1936	6 November 1936	3 days	VF	Schuschnigg II Cabinet
19		Glaise, EdmundEdmund Glaise-Horstenau (1882–1946)	6 November 1936	16 February 1938	1 year, 102 days	VF	Schuschnigg III Cabinet
20		Seyß, ArthurArthur Seyß-Inquart (1892–1946)	16 February 1938	13 March 1938	25 days	DNSAP	Schuschnigg IV Cabinet Seyss-Inquart Cabinet

Second Republic

No.	Portrait	Minister of the Interior	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party	Cabinet
1		Honner, FranzFranz Honner (1893–1964)	27 April 1945	20 December 1945	237 days	KPÖ	Renner IV Cabinet
2		Helmer, OskarOskar Helmer (1893–1964)	20 December 1945	16 July 1959	13 years, 208 days	SPÖ	Figl I Cabinet–II–III Raab I Cabinet–II
3		Afritsch, JosefJosef Afritsch (1901–1964)	16 July 1959	27 March 1963	3 years, 254 days	SPÖ	Raab III Cabinet–II Gorbach I Cabinet
4		Olah, FranzFranz Olah (1910–2009)	27 March 1963	21 September 1964	1 year, 178 days	SPÖ	Gorbach II Cabinet
5		Czettel, HansHans Czettel (1923–1980)	21 September 1964	19 April 1966	1 year, 210 days	SPÖ	Klaus I Cabinet
6		Hetzenauer, FranzFranz Hetzenauer (1911–2006)	19 April 1966	19 January 1968	1 year, 275 days	ÖVP	Klaus II Cabinet
7		Soronics, FranzFranz Soronics (1920–2009)	19 January 1968	21 April 1970	2 years, 92 days	ÖVP	Klaus II Cabinet
8		Rösch, OttoOtto Rösch (1917–1995)	21 April 1970	8 June 1977	7 years, 48 days	SPÖ	Kreisky I Cabinet–II–III
9		Lanc, ErwinErwin Lanc (born 1930)	8 June 1977	24 May 1983	5 years, 350 days	SPÖ	Kreisky III Cabinet–II
10		Blecha, KarlKarl Blecha (born 1933)	24 May 1983	2 February 1989	5 years, 254 days	SPÖ	Sinowatz Cabinet Vranitzky I Cabinet–II
11		Löschnak, FranzFranz Löschnak (born 1940)	2 February 1989	6 April 1995	6 years, 63 days	SPÖ	Vranitzky II–III–IV
12		Einem, CasparCaspar Einem (1948–2021)	6 April 1995	28 January 1997	1 year, 297 days	SPÖ	Vranitzky IV Cabinet–II
13		Schlögl, KarlKarl Schlögl (1924–2007)	28 January 1997	2 March 2000	3 years, 34 days	SPÖ	Klima Cabinet
14		Strasser, ErnstErnst Strasser (born 1956)	2 March 2000	11 December 2004	4 years, 284 days	ÖVP	Schüssel I Cabinet–II
–		Platter, GüntherGünther Platter (born 1954) Acting	11 December 2004	22 December 2004	11 days	ÖVP	Schüssel II Cabinet
15		Prokop, LieseLiese Prokop (1941–2006)	22 December 2004	31 December 2006 †	2 years, 9 days	ÖVP	Schüssel II Cabinet
–		Schüssel, WolfgangWolfgang Schüssel (born 1945) Acting	2 January 2007	11 January 2007	9 days	ÖVP	Schüssel II Cabinet
16		Platter, GüntherGünther Platter (born 1954)	11 January 2007	30 June 2008	171 days	ÖVP	Gusenbauer Cabinet
–		Molterer, WilhelmWilhelm Molterer (born 1955) Acting	30 June 2008	1 July 2008	1 day	ÖVP	Gusenbauer Cabinet
17		Fekter, MariaMaria Fekter (born 1956)	1 July 2008	21 April 2011	2 years, 294 days	ÖVP	Gusenbauer Cabinet Faymann I Cabinet
18		Mikl, JohannaJohanna Mikl-Leitner (born 1964)	21 April 2011	21 April 2016	5 years, 0 days	ÖVP	Faymann I Cabinet–II
19		Sobotka, WolfgangWolfgang Sobotka (born 1956)	21 April 2016	18 December 2017	1 year, 241 days	ÖVP	Faymann II Cabinet Kern Cabinet
20		Kickl, HerbertHerbert Kickl (born 1968)	18 December 2017	20 May 2019	1 year, 153 days	FPÖ	Kurz I Cabinet
21		Ratz, EckartEckart Ratz (born 1953)	22 May 2019	3 June 2019	12 days	Independent	Kurz I Cabinet
22		Peschorn, WolfgangWolfgang Peschorn (born 1965)	3 June 2019	7 January 2020	218 days	Independent	Bierlein Cabinet
23		Nehammer, KarlKarl Nehammer (born 1972)	7 January 2020	6 December 2021	1 year, 333 days	ÖVP	Kurz II Cabinet Schallenberg Cabinet
24		Karner, GerhardGerhard Karner (born 1967)	6 December 2021	incumbent	2 years, 351 days	ÖVP	Nehammer Cabinet