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Political System of Switzerland
Politisches System der Schweiz(German) Système politique de la Suisse(French) Sistema politico della Svizzera(Italian) Sistem politic da la Svizra(Romansh)
Coat of arms of Switzerland
Polity type
Semi-direct democratic federal republic
Constitution
Constitution of Switzerland
Legislative branch
Name
Federal Assembly
Type
Bicameral
Meeting place
Federal Palace, Bern
Upper house
Name
Council of States
Presiding officer
Eva Herzog, President of the Council of States
Appointer
Popular vote
Lower house
Name
National Council
Presiding officer
Eric Nussbaumer, President of the National Council
Appointer
Popular vote
Executive branch
Head of State
Title
President of the Confederation
Currently
Viola Amherd
Appointer
Federal Assembly
Cabinet
Name
Federal Council
Leader
President
Deputy leader
Vice President
Appointer
Federal Assembly
Headquarters
Federal Palace
Ministries
7
Judicial branch
Name
Judiciary of Switzerland
Federal Supreme Court
Seat
Federal Courthouse, Lausanne
This article is part of a series on the
Politics of Switzerland
Constitution
Human rights
Federal Council
Members (by seniority)
Beat Jans
Guy Parmelin
Ignazio Cassis
Viola Amherd (President)
Karin Keller-Sutter (Vice President)
Albert Rösti
Élisabeth Baume-Schneider
Federal Chancellor
Viktor Rossi
Federal administration
Federal Assembly
Council of States (members)
National Council (members)
Political parties
Elections
Voting
Elections
1848
1851
1854
1857
1860
1863
1866
1869
1872
1875
1878
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1884
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Mandatory
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Federal courts
Federal Supreme Court
Federal Criminal Court
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Federal Patent Court
Foreign relations
European Union
Cantons
Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR)
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Aargau (AG)
Basel-Landschaft (BL)
Basel-Stadt (BS)
Bern (BE)
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Grisons (GR)
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Uri (UR)
Valais (VS)
Vaud (VD)
Zug (ZG)
Zürich (ZH)
Cantonal legislatures
Cantonal executives
Landsgemeinde
Municipalities
(Full list of Municipalities)
Aargau
Appenzell Innerrhoden
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Basel-Landschaft
Basel-Stadt
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Thurgau
Ticino
Uri
Valais
Vaud
Zug
Zürich
Switzerland portal
Other countries
v
t
e
The government of Switzerland is a federal state with direct democracy.[1]
The legislative branch is the Federal Assembly. The Federal Assembly has two parts: the National Council, which represents the public, while the Council of States represents the cantons.[2]
The executive branch is the Federal Council, which has seven members who are elected by the Federal Assembly.[3]
The judicial branch is headed by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, whose judges are elected by the Federal Assembly.
For any change in the constitution, a referendum is mandatory (mandatory referendum); for any change in a law, a referendum can be requested (optional referendum). In addition, the people may present a constitutional popular initiative to introduce amendments to the federal constitution.
The people also assume a role similar to the constitutional court, which does not exist, and thus act as the guardian of the rule of law. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices, Switzerland was in 2023 the most participatory democratic country in the world.[4]
The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Switzerland a "full democracy" in 2022.[5] According to the V-Dem Democracy indices, Switzerland was in 2023 the 4th most electorally democratic country in the world.[4]
Cantonal and municipal politics vary in the different cantons, which may have different systems.
^"Political system". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^"The Federal Assembly (Parliament)". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^"The Federal Council". www.eda.admin.ch. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
^ abV-Dem Institute (2023). "The V-Dem Dataset". Retrieved 14 October 2023.
^"Democracy Index 2022: Frontline democracy and the battle for Ukraine" (PDF). Economist Intelligence Unit. 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
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