Elections in Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Elections in Switzerland gives information on election
and election results in Switzerland
.
Switzerland elects on national level a head of state
- the Federal Council - and a legislature
. The Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung/Assemblée fédérale/Asamblea Federale/Assemblea Federala) has two chambers
. The National Council
(Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale/Cussegl Naziunal) has 200 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
in multi-seat constituencies, the cantons. The Council of States
(Ständerat/Conseil des Etats/Consiglio degli Stati/Cussegl dals Stadis) has 46 members, elected for four years in 20 multi-seat and 6 single-seat constituencies which are equal to the 26 cantons and half-cantons. One of the members of the Federal Council assumes the honorific title of President of the Confederation for a one-year term.
Switzerland has a multi-party system with numerous parties
. A world-unique characteristic of Switzerland is that all the executives, from federal to municipal level, are elected by proportional representation
: in this way political parties
are automatically put in coalition government
s.
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
and election results in Switzerland
Politics of Switzerland
The politics of Switzerland take place in the framework of a multi-party federal parliamentary democratic republic, whereby the Federal Council of Switzerland is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government and the federal administration and is not concentrated in any one...
.
Switzerland elects on national level a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the Federal Council - and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung/Assemblée fédérale/Asamblea Federale/Assemblea Federala) has two chambers
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
. The National Council
National Council of Switzerland
The National Council of Switzerland is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. With 200 seats, it is the larger of the two houses....
(Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale/Cussegl Naziunal) has 200 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in multi-seat constituencies, the cantons. The Council of States
Swiss Council of States
The Council of States of Switzerland is the smaller chamber of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, and is considered the Assembly's upper house. There are 46 Councillors....
(Ständerat/Conseil des Etats/Consiglio degli Stati/Cussegl dals Stadis) has 46 members, elected for four years in 20 multi-seat and 6 single-seat constituencies which are equal to the 26 cantons and half-cantons. One of the members of the Federal Council assumes the honorific title of President of the Confederation for a one-year term.
Switzerland has a multi-party system with numerous parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
. A world-unique characteristic of Switzerland is that all the executives, from federal to municipal level, are elected by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
: in this way political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
are automatically put in coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
s.
Latest elections
Past elections and referendums
- Swiss federal election, 1947Swiss federal election, 1947The Swiss federal election, 1947 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1947.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1951Swiss federal election, 1951The Swiss federal election, 1951 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1951.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1955Swiss federal election, 1955The Swiss federal election, 1955 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1955.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1959Swiss federal election, 1959The Swiss federal election, 1959 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1959.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1963Swiss federal election, 1963The Swiss federal election, 1963 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1963.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1967Swiss federal election, 1967The Swiss federal election, 1967 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1967.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1971Swiss federal election, 1971The Swiss federal election, 1971 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1971.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1975Swiss federal election, 1975The Swiss federal election, 1975 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1975.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1979Swiss federal election, 1979The Swiss federal election, 1979 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1979.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1983Swiss federal election, 1983The Swiss federal election, 1983 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1983.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1987Swiss federal election, 1987The Swiss federal election, 1987 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1987.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1991Swiss federal election, 1991The Swiss federal election, 1991 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1991.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1995Swiss federal election, 1995The Swiss federal election, 1995 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1995.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 1999Swiss federal election, 1999The Swiss federal election, 1999 was a federal election that took place in Switzerland in 1999.- Results :...
- Swiss federal election, 2003Swiss federal election, 2003Legislative elections in the Swiss Confederation were held on 19 October 2003. Although in Switzerland's peculiar political system, in which all four major parties form a coalition, it is very difficult to achieve a change of government, this election produced an upset in the strong showing of the...
External links
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- Parties and elections
- NSD: European Election Database - Switzerland publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1991-2007