Which government responsibilities were shared by Austria and Hungary after the Ausgleich?

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Following the Ausgleich of 1867, which established the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, the two entities remained constitutionally autonomous but shared specific responsibilities to maintain the unity of the Habsburg lands.123

The shared government responsibilities included:

  • Foreign Affairs and War: The empire functioned as a single state for the purposes of war and foreign policy, managed by a common minister for foreign affairs and a minister of war.123
  • Economic and Financial Cooperation: The two regions maintained a customs union and a system of shared accounts, which required revision every 10 years.23
  • Uniform Standards: While there was no common citizenship, both areas agreed to maintain uniformity in weights, measures, coinage, and postal services.23
  • Common Oversight: Common affairs were addressed by the "delegations"—annual meetings of representatives from both parliaments—and the gemeinsamer Ministerrat, a crown council where common ministers and the prime ministers of both governments met under the monarch's presidency.23

These common ministers were responsible to the crown, though they reported annually to the delegations.23