Editing Switzerland (section)

=== Direct democracy ===
{{Main|Voting in Switzerland}}
[[File:Landsgemeinde Glarus 2006.jpg|thumb|The [[Landsgemeinde]] is an old form of [[direct democracy]], still in practice in two cantons.]]
[[Direct democracy]] and [[federalism]] are hallmarks of the Swiss political system defined in the Swiss constitution.<ref name="CHPS">{{Cite book |url=http://www.nzz-libro.ch/handbuch-der-schweizer-politik-manuel-de-la-politique-suisse.html |title=Handbuch der Schweizer Politik – Manuel de la politique suisse |publisher=Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, NZZ libro |year=2014 |isbn=978-3-03823-866-9 |editor-last=Peter Knoepfel |edition=5 |location=Zurich, Switzerland |language=de, fr |access-date=24 June 2016 |editor-last2=Yannis Papadopoulos |editor-last3=Pascal Sciarini |editor-last4=Adrian Vatter |editor-last5=Silja Häusermann |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714131228/http://www.nzz-libro.ch/handbuch-der-schweizer-politik-manuel-de-la-politique-suisse.html |archive-date=14 July 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Swiss people are subject to three legal jurisdictions: the municipal, cantonal and federal levels. At the federal level, popular rights{{efn|{{langx|de|link=no|Volksrechte}}, {{langx|fr|link=no|droits populaires}}, {{langx|it|diritti popolari}}|name=popular rights}} include the right to submit a federal initiative and a referendum, both of which may overturn parliamentary decisions.<ref>{{HDS|48664|Popular rights|author=Andreas Gross|date=22 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="Politics" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kaufmann |first=Bruno |date=18 May 2007 |title=How direct democracy makes Switzerland a better place |work=The Telegraph |location=London, UK |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1435383/How-direct-democracy-makes-Switzerland-a-better-place.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207063551/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1435383/How-direct-democracy-makes-Switzerland-a-better-place.html |archive-date=7 December 2009}}</ref>

There are three types of federal referendum in Switzerland: 

* An [[optional referendum]] challenges a law passed by parliament. It requires gathering 50,000 signatures or the objection of eight cantons within 100 days. Voters decide by a [[majority|simple majority]] whether to accept or reject the law.<ref name="Politics" />
* A [[Mandatory referendums in Switzerland|mandatory referendum]] is required for all [[Constitutional amendment|constitutional amendments]] passed by the Federal Assembly. Constitutional amendments require a [[double majority]], i.e. both a majority of the national popular vote and a majority of cantonal votes.{{efn|name=majority cantonal votes|Each of the six traditional [[half-canton]]s gets half a vote, and the other 20 cantons get one full vote, adding up to 23 cantonal votes. Each vote or half-vote is selected [[popular vote|based on the votes of their citizens]].}}<ref name="CHPS" />
* A [[Popular initiative in Switzerland|popular initiative]] is an amendment to the constitution proposed by citizens.{{efn|name=initiative 1999|Since 1999, an initiative can also be in the form of a general proposal to be elaborated by Parliament. Still, because it is considered less attractive for various reasons, this initiative has yet to be used.}} A petition supporting the initiative must be signed by 100,000 voters within 18 months for a referendum to be held. Popular initiatives also require a double majority to pass.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Popular initiatives |url=https://www.ch.ch/en/political-system/political-rights/initiatives/what-is-a-federal-popular-initiative/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.ch.ch |language=en}}</ref>

The Federal Council and the Federal Assembly can supplement a popular initiative with a counterproposal. Voters must then indicate their preference if both proposals are accepted.