The regional constitution establishes the fundamental principles for autonomous means of shaping regional legislation as well as the spheres of influence of the regional government and regional administration. Representatives of Austrian federalism in theory and practice have so far been able to have an essential say in shaping government at a regional level. Although the Länder have a general competence for all tasks not expressly reserved for the federal government, from the beginning important state tasks were concentrated in the sphere of the federal government. New alignments have been absorbed as regards the sphere of competence resulting from political and financial imbalances and which over the years have led to losses in the competence of the Länder. However, from western Austria, in particular from Salzburg, proposals relevant to the current discussion of federalism are repeatedly raised.

At present the regional constitution law of 1999 is valid in Salzburg. This constitution allows a clear role division between the government and opposition. Government is formed according to a free majority system. Thus the parties which have a majority in the regional assembly work together and aim to develop a common programme of government. The government is faced with an opposition which has strong minority rights in the regional assembly.

The government system valid in Salzburg since 1921 underwent fundamental changes with the start of the legislative period 1999/2004. The majority system was imposed for the election of the regional government instead of the previous proportional system.  In this system all parties represented in the regional parliament were represented in relation to their strength in the regional government. Whereas the automatic proportional system had largely positive effects for the period after the First World War and also in the first decades of the Second Republic, in more recent times this system of government became increasingly outdated.  In 1999 Land Salzburg reacted to the changed social circumstances with what was probably the most decisive reform of the Salzburg regional constitution since it came into existence.  What is also new since 1999 is the fact that the constitution determines ten state aims which are regarded as guidelines and a standard for the political activity of the government, for all laws passed by the regional parliament and for all administrative decisions.