© 2014 WikiRendum The Swiss Political System
The Swiss Political System, by WikiRendum
Dec 07, 2014
There is no other country in the world where the government is tested as often as in Switzerland... Find out more about the Swiss Political System in this presentation!
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© 2014 WikiRendum
The Swiss Political System
© 2014 WikiRendumSource Img: tbawfg.blog.com/
What do you know about
the Swiss Political System?
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Political organisation of Switzerland
Confederation
26 Cantons
2352 Communes
Source Img: www3.unil.ch/
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How many cantons has Switzerland?
? Did you know that…
In all the cantons democratic rights are exercised by secret ballot, except for Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus where the Landsgemeinde is the legislature.
Source Img: www.swiss-switzerland.com/
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What is the Landsgemeinde?
One of the oldest forms of direct democracy.
Voting is accomplished by those in favor of a motion raising their hands.
Source Img: www.myswitzerland.
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Separation of the Powers
Legislative
Executive Ju
dici
al
The Federal Council in Bern
The Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne
The Federal Assembly in Bern
Source Img: www.parlament.ch/
Source: Roland Zumbühl of Picswiss: http://www.picswiss.ch/geo.html
Source: John Doe at de.wikipedia
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The Executive Power: The Federal Council
?Did you know that…Since 1959, the Swiss government has been a coalition of
four major political parties. The classic distribution of seats in the Swiss parliament is known as the “magic formula”.
• .
Source Img: www.admin.ch/www.sp-ps.ch/www.plr.ch/www.udc.ch/ www.pdc.ch/
7 federal councillors called the “seven wise men”,
each representative of a Swiss party
Three women are currently represented in the Federal Council
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What is the current distribution of
the «magic formula»?
The Executive Power: The Federal Council
Source Img: en.hdyo.org/
© 2014 WikiRendumSource img: www.admin.ch
The Executive Power: The Federal Council
• 1 seat for the Christian Democratic People's Party
• 2 seats for the Liberal Party
• 2 seats for the Social Democratic Party
• 1 seat for the Swiss People's Party
• 1 seat for the Conservative Democratic Party
? Did you know that…Mr. Didier Burkhalter, FDP
is the current President of the Swiss Confederation (2014).
The President is elected
by the Assembly,
traditionally in rotation
and for an
one-year term.
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The Executive Power: The Federal Council
Member of Council Party
Simonetta Sommaruga Social Democrats
Alain Berset Social Democrats
Doris Leuthard Christian Democrats
Didier Burkhalter FDP.The Liberals
Johann Schneider-Ammann FDP.The Liberals
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf Conservative Democrats
Ueli Maurer Swiss People's Party
Source Img: www.admin.ch/ www.bdp.info/www.sp-ps.ch/ www.plr.ch/www.pdc.ch/ www.udc.ch/
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?Did you know that…
It is particular to the Swiss Parliament that the deputies are not professional as in France or Italy. Members of the Federal Assembly spend about 60% of their working time to their parliamentary mandate,and most of them practice a profession unrelated to their function in the Parliament. They serve for 4 years and can be reelected.
The Federal Assembly
The Legislative Power: The Federal Assembly
The Council of States
The National Council
The Federal Assembly
Source Img: www.parlament.ch/
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THE LEGISLATIVE POWER
The Legislative Power: The Federal Assembly
Source Img: www.parlament.ch/
Council of States (CS)
• 46 members• Each canton sends
2 representatives to the Parliament
• Each half-canton sends 1 representative
• Mr. Germann is the current President of the CS
National Council (NC)• 200 members• Elected under a
system of proportional representation
• Each canton forms a constituency
• Mr. Lustenberger is the current President of the NS
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The Judicial Power: The Federal Supreme Court
Did you know that the Federal Supreme Court…
Source Img: www.parlament.ch/
• Is the Supreme Judicial Authority of the Confederation,
• Has 38 full-time and 19 part-time judges,
• Has jurisdiction over violations of federal law; public international law; intercantonal law; cantonal constitutional rights, etc.
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The Political Organisation of Switzerland
People
Parliament: the National
Council & the Council of
States
Government & the Supreme
Court
Source Img: www.parlament.ch/www.causeur.fr/
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What are the political rights of Swiss
citizens?
Source Img: www.socialbeta.com/
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Vote
Elect
Run for office
Referendum
Intitia-tive
The right to vote: The citizen can decide on YES or NO to a specific question asked during a consultation.
The right to elect: The citizen can choose its candidates during elections.
The right of eligibility: The citizen can be a candidate to an election.
The right of referendum: Citizens can ask for a popular consultation on a question approved by the Federal Assembly.
The right of initiative: The citizens can propose a partial or total modification of the federal Constitution. The political
rights of Swiss
citizens
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What are the best practices in the Swiss direct democracy?
Through these constitutionalized instruments, the Swiss people can pronounce themselves on a law or on a federal legislative review.
Referendum Popular Initiative
• mandatory
• facultative initiated by the Swiss people
NOT initiated by the Swiss people
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What is a mandatory referendum?
Source Img: www.libdemvoice.org/
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The Federal Assembly votes on a modification of the Constitution or on an international treaty.
1. Popular Votation
2. Double Majority
3. Practice
The Federal Council must organise a popular vote.
The modification of the constitution is accepted if the majority of people and cantons said YES.
If the mandatory referendum succeeds, the constitutional modification is effective.
Most frequent instrument at the national level
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How do Swiss citizens initiate an optional
referendum?
Source Img: www.hdpaperwall.com/
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OPTIONAL
REFERENDUM
If the referendum succeeds, the Federal Council is required to organise a popular voting
The Federal Assembly adopts a law or a federal decree.
The citizens accept or refuse the law, which is submitted to votation. The canton’s majority is not required.
If the optional referendum succeeds, the law is effective
Within 90 days, citizens can gather 50’000 signatures and then ask for a popular consultation
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How do Swiss citizens launch a popular
initiative?
Source Img: www.activatingdemocracy.com
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Step 1 Step 2
Step 3 Step 4
Step 5Source Img: www.petitions24.net/
The popular initiative is submitted to the Swiss citizens.
APPROVAL or DISMISSAL of the initiative/ counter proposition
Popular initiative
The Federal Assembly can decide on a counter proposal.
The Federal Council must organize a popular vote. In certain cases, the Parliament can invalidate the initiative.
Gather 100’000 signatures withing 18 months.
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Number of swiss popular initiatives
initiatives currently in treatment initiatives that have been cancelled by authorities initiatives submitted to the vote initiatives that have been retired by their authors initiatives that didn't obtain the required signatures
Source: www.admin.ch/
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There is no other country in the world where the government is tested as often as in
Switzerland.
Source Img: echrblog.blogspot.ch/
Swiss direct democracy
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For more info, visit our website:
www.wikirendum.orgLet’s build tomorrow’s Democracy.
Source Img: www.facebook.com/
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