Parliament can exercise political control over the work of the Federal Government and its members (the Federal Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and the Ministers) in a variety of ways.
The National and Federal Councils may put questions to them and express their wishes in the form of resolutions. The National Council may establish investigating committees to probe into certain matters. And it may pass a vote of no confidence against the Government or one of its members, who would accordingly have to resign.
The National and Federal Councils may scrutinise the conduct of business by the Federal Government, put questions to its members on all matters within the realm of the executive power and demand all relevant information. The right of interpellation comprises various forms, such as written, oral and urgent questions as well as the debate on matters of topical interest.
The National and Federal Councils may express their wishes regarding the exercise of the executive power in the form of resolutions. The resolutions passed by the National and Federal Councils are politically significant but are not legally binding on the addressee.
The National and Federal Councils and their committees (sub-comittees) may by a majority of votes require the attendance of members of the Federal Government.
Establishing investigating committees is a minority right. Investigating committees have a political function: they are to find facts and report to the National Council on them. In order to do so, an investigating committee is endowed with special powers. It may demand access to files and query witnesses, who are bound to answer truthfully.
The Federal Government has to transmit to Parliament a variety of reports on parts of its activity. In part, this duty is laid down in laws – as is the case, for instance, regarding the Security Report – while other reports are presented in response to resolutions.
The Standing Sub-committee of the Committee on Internal Affairs supervises the information services of police, such as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The Standing Sub-Committee of the National Defence Committee does the same for the information services of the Federal Armed Forces, such as the National Defence Information Service. The Minister of the Interior and the Defence Minister have to answer questions put to them by the respective committees.
The National Council may withdraw its confidence from the Federal Government or some of its members by a vote of no confidence, the most extreme form of political control. In consequence, the Federal President has to ask the government member in question or, as the case may be, the entire Federal Government to resign.