The President of Austria

Overview
The President of Austria (German: Österreichischer Bundespräsident, lit. "Austrian Federal President") is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the Constitution of Austria, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead who acts mostly on the advice of the Chancellor and the Cabinet. The President of Austria is directly elected by universal adult suffrage once in every six years. The President's offices are located in the Leopoldine Wing of the Hofburg Imperial Palace, in Vienna.

Many presidents have gained tremendous popularity while in office, and no incumbent has ever lost a bid for re-election, although Kurt Waldheim did not run for a second term in office. Five presidents have died in office. From 2004 to 2016, the office was occupied by social democrat Heinz Fischer. Since the establishment of direct election in 1951, only members of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) (and their predecessors) had been elected to the post (with the exception of Rudolf Kirchschläger, an independent endorsed by both the SPÖ and ÖVP) until the election of Green-endorsed Alexander Van der Bellen in 2016.

Residence
The Leopoldine Wing of Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna: home to the offices of the Federal President.