Parliament of Switzerland
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| Parliament of Switzerland | |
|---|---|
| Name | Federal Assembly |
| Native name | Bundesversammlung, Assemblée fédérale, Assemblea federale, Assamblea federala |
| Legislature | Federal Assembly of Switzerland |
| House type | Bicameral legislature |
| Established | 1848 |
| Leader1 type | President of the National Council |
| Leader2 type | President of the Council of States |
| Meeting place | Federal Palace |
| Website | Official website |
Parliament of Switzerland is the bicameral Federal Assembly convening at the Federal Palace in Bern, composed of two chambers that legislate federal law, oversee the Federal Council, and represent cantons and people. It operates under the Swiss Federal Constitution of 1848 and subsequent constitutional revisions, interacting with instruments such as popular initiatives and referendums. Key actors include members of the National Council, members of the Council of States, the Federal Council, the Federal Supreme Court, cantonal parliaments, and political parties like the Swiss People's Party and Social Democratic Party.
Overview
The Federal Assembly comprises the National Council (Switzerland), representing the population, and the Council of States (Switzerland), representing the cantons, meeting together in a United Federal Assembly for special duties such as electing the Federal Council (Switzerland), federal judges like those on the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, and television and cultural appointments. The Assembly convenes in the Federal Palace of Switzerland on the Bundeshaus plaza in Bern, and its sessions follow procedures codified in the Swiss Federal Constitution and the Parliamentary Act (Switzerland). Prominent historical figures associated with the legislature include Johann Jakob Stehlin, Gustave Ador, and Friedrich Frey-Herosé.
Structure and Composition
The National Council (Switzerland) has 200 members allocated by cantonal population, while the Council of States (Switzerland) has 46 members with two per full canton and one per half-canton, as reflected in the Federal Constitution of 1874 revisions and cantonal constitutions such as those of Zurich, Geneva, Vaud, and Ticino. Members sit according to party groups including the Swiss People's Party (SVP), Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SP), Free Democratic Party (FDP.The Liberals), Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland (CVP), Green Party of Switzerland, Green Liberal Party of Switzerland, Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland (BDP), and regional lists like FDP.The Liberals of Zurich or SP of Geneva. The Assembly includes presidents elected annually: the President of the National Council (Switzerland) and the President of the Council of States (Switzerland), with administrative staff drawn from the Parliamentary Services.
Legislative Process
Legislation can originate from the Federal Council (Switzerland), members of the Federal Assembly, or cantonal initiatives; proposals undergo committee scrutiny in bodies such as the Legal Affairs Committee and the Finance Committee. Bills pass both chambers and are subject to referendum (Switzerland) mechanisms including optional referendums and mandatory referendums for constitutional amendments, and may be affected by popular initiative (Switzerland) campaigns. Important legislative texts include the Civil Code (Switzerland), the Criminal Code (Switzerland), and the Federal Act on Data Protection (Switzerland). The Federal Assembly enacts laws, approves the federal budget passed by the Federal Department of Finance (Switzerland), and supervises federal administration offices such as the Federal Office of Public Health (Switzerland) and the Federal Office of Transport (Switzerland).
Committees and Parliamentary Groups
Permanent and special committees mirror executive portfolios: Foreign Affairs Committee, Economic Affairs and Taxation Committee, Security Policy Committee, Science, Education and Culture Committee, and Social Security and Health Committee. Parliamentary groups coordinate positions from parties like SVP, SP, FDP, CVP, and The Greens, and regional caucuses from Canton of Bern and Canton of Zurich shape debates. Committee chairs and rapporteurs engage with stakeholders such as the Swiss Trade Union Federation, Swiss Employers' Association, HEV (Homeowners Association), and cantonal governments; hearings may feature experts from institutions like the ETH Zurich, University of Geneva, and think tanks including the Avenir Suisse.
Interaction with Federal Council and Judiciary
The Assembly elects the Federal Council (Switzerland) and holds it to account through interpellations, questions, and inquiries; it also elects members of the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland and other federal authorities. Relations with departments such as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS), and Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) are managed via oversight mechanisms and budgetary controls. Constitutional disputes between federal institutions and cantons are resolved by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland and influenced by decisions such as those from the European Court of Human Rights in cases involving Swiss law.
Elections and Terms
Members of the National Council (Switzerland) are elected for four-year terms by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies based on cantons, whereas members of the Council of States (Switzerland) are elected according to cantonal rules, often by majority vote or two-round systems, with examples in Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Canton of Neuchâtel. Elections are administered by cantonal electoral offices and regulated by the Federal Act on Political Rights (Switzerland), with campaign financing and media coverage involving outlets like SRG SSR, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and Le Temps. By-elections fill vacancies; immunity and incompatibility rules reflect standards set by the Parliamentary Act (Switzerland).
Historical Development and Reforms
The modern Assembly emerged from the Sonderbund War aftermath and the Swiss Federal Constitution of 1848, succeeding the Tagsatzung of the Old Confederacy and evolving through revisions in 1874 and 1999. Major reforms include introduction of the popular initiative and referendum mechanisms in the late 19th century, the expansion of the Federal Judiciary and codification projects like the Swiss Civil Code under Eugen Huber, and electoral reforms toward proportional representation in 1919. Twentieth- and twenty-first-century changes involved women's suffrage in Switzerland (1971 federally), federal administrative modernization, and debates over federalism reforms championed by figures such as Federal Councillor Joseph Deiss and commissions including the Federal Chancellery review panels.