Switzerland

Confoederatio Helvetica, is the Latin official name. The use of Latin avoids choosing one of the four official languages. The abbreviation (CH) is similarly used; for example, it is used as Switzerland's ccTLD, .ch. The Latin title Confoederatio Helvetica means Helvetic Confederation. The titles commonly used in French, Italian and Romansh translate as Swiss Confederation, while the German name of Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft translates roughly as "Swiss Commonwealth of the Covenant".

Politics

Main article: Politics of Switzerland

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Switzerland features a system of government unlike any other seen in Europe, or indeed much of the world.

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The bicameral Swiss parliament, the Federal Assembly, is the primary seat of power, apart from the Federal Council. Both houses, the Council of States and the National Council, have equal powers in all respects, including the right to introduce legislation.

Related Topics:
Parliament - Council of States - National Council

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Under the 1999 constitution, cantons hold all powers not specifically delegated to the federation.

Related Topics:
1999 - Constitution

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The 46 members of the Council of States (two from each canton and one from former half cantons) are directly elected in each canton, whereas the 200 members of the National Council are elected directly under a system of proportional representation. Members of both houses serve for 4 years. Through referenda citizens may challenge any law voted by federal parliament and through initiatives introduce amendments to the federal constitution, making Switzerland a semi-direct democracy.

Related Topics:
Proportional representation - Referenda - Initiative - Semi-direct democracy

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The top executive body and collective Head of State is the Federal Council, a collegial body of seven members. Although the constitution provides that the Assembly elects and supervises the members of the Council, the latter (and its administration) has gradually assumed a pre-eminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven to assume special representative functions for a one-year term.

Related Topics:
Executive - Head of State - Federal Council - Legislative - President of the Confederation

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From 1959 to December 2003, the four major parties were represented in the Federal Council according to the "magic formula", proportional to their representation in federal parliament: 2 Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC), 2 from the Social Democrats (SPS/PSS), 2 Free Democrats (FDP/PRD), and 1 from the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC). This traditional distribution of seats, however, is not backed up by any law, and in the 2003 elections to the Federal Council the CVP/PDC lost their second seat to the SVP/UDC.

Related Topics:
Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC) - Social Democrats (SPS/PSS) - Free Democrats (FDP/PRD) - Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC)

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The function of the Federal Supreme Court is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for six-year terms.

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Citizens may seek a decision on an amendment they want to make to the Constitution. For such an amendment initiative to be organized, the signatures of 100,000 voters must be collected within 18 months. They are the driving force behind direct democracy.

Related Topics:
Amendment - Direct democracy

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A popular initiative may be formulated as a general proposal or - much more often - be put forward as a precise new text whose wording can no longer be changed by Parliament and the Government. Since 1987, voters may approve both the initiative and the counter-proposal. A deciding question determines which of the two texts will enter into force if both of them secure a popular majority and a majority of the States.

Related Topics:
Popular initiative - Parliament - Initiative - Counter-proposal - States

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Popular initiatives do not originate from the Parliament or Government but from the citizens themselves.

Related Topics:
Parliament - Government

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See also:

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• International relations of Switzerland

Energy politics

The energy generated in Switzerland comprises around 40 percent nuclear power and 60 percent from hydroelectricity.

Related Topics:
Energy - Hydroelectricity

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On May 18, 2003, two referenda regarding the future of nuclear power in Switzerland were held. The referendum Electricity without nuclear asked for a decision on a nuclear power phase-out and Moratorium Plus asked about an extension an existing law forbidding the building of new nuclear power plants. Both were turned down: Moratorium Plus by a margin of 41.6% for and 58.4% opposed, and Electricity Without Nuclear by a margin of 33.7% for and 66.3% opposed. The former ten-year moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants was the result of a citizens' initiative voted on in 1990 which had passed with 54.5% Yes vs. 45.5% No votes (see Nuclear power phase-out#Switzerland for details).

Related Topics:
May 18 - 2003 - Referenda - Nuclear power phase-out - Nuclear power plants - Moratorium - Citizens' initiative - 1990 - Nuclear power phase-out#Switzerland

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