Editing Politics of Switzerland

{{Short description|none}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=May 2016}}
{{Expand French|date=February 2021||topic=gov}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox political system
| name                    = Political System of Switzerland
| native_name             = {{resize|75%|{{native name|de|Politisches System der Schweiz}}<br>{{native name|fr|Système politique de la Suisse}}<br>{{native name|it|Sistema politico della Svizzera}}<br>{{native name|rm|Sistem politic da la Svizra}}}}
| image                   = Coat of Arms of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
| image_size              = 130
| caption                 = [[Coat of arms of Switzerland]]
| government              = [[Semi-direct democracy|Semi-direct democratic]] [[Federalism|federal]] [[republic]]
| constitution            = [[Constitution of Switzerland]] 
| website                 =  
| legislature             = [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]
| legislature_type        = [[Bicameral]] 
| legislature_place       = [[Federal Palace of Switzerland|Federal Palace]], [[Bern]]
| upperhouse              = [[Council of States (Switzerland)|Council of States]]
| upperhouse_speaker      = [[Andrea Caroni]]
| upperhouse_speaker_title= [[List of presidents of the Swiss Council of States|President of the Council of States]]
| upperhouse_appointer    = Popular vote
| lowerhouse              = [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]]
| lowerhouse_speaker      = [[Maja Riniker]]
| lowerhouse_speaker_title = [[List of presidents of the National Council of Switzerland|President of the National Council]]
| lowerhouse_appointer    = Popular vote
| title_hos               = [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President of the Confederation]] 
| current_hos             = [[Karin Keller-Sutter]]
| appointer_hos           = Federal Assembly
| title_hog               = 
| current_hog             = 
| appointer_hog           = 
| cabinet                 = [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal Council]] 
| current_cabinet         = 
| cabinet_leader          = President  
| cabinet_deputyleader    = Vice President
| cabinet_appointer       = Federal Assembly
| cabinet_hq              = Federal Palace
| cabinet_ministries      = 7
| judiciary               = [[Federal courts of Switzerland|Judiciary of Switzerland]] 
| court                   = 
| chief_judge             = 
| court_seat              = 
| court1                  = [[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Federal Supreme Court]]
| chief_judge1            = 
| court_seat1             = Federal Courthouse, [[Lausanne]]
| court2                  = 
| chief_judge2            = 
| court_seat2             = 
}}
{{Politics of Switzerland|expanded}}
The '''government of [[Switzerland]]''' is a [[federal state]] with [[direct democracy]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Political system |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/politics.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.eda.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref>

* The [[Legislature|legislative branch]]  is the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]]. The Federal Assembly has two parts: the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]], which represents the public, while the [[Council of States (Switzerland)|Council of States]] represents the [[cantons]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Federal Assembly (Parliament) |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/politik-geschichte/politisches-system/bundesversammlung.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.eda.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref>

* The [[executive power|executive branch]]  is the  [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal Council]], which has seven members who are elected by the Federal Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Federal Council |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/politik-geschichte/politisches-system/bundesrat.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=www.eda.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref>

* The [[Judiciary|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 [[Popular initiative (Switzerland)|constitutional popular initiative]] to introduce amendments to the [[Swiss Federal Constitution|federal constitution]]. 

The people also assume a role similar to the [[constitutional court]], which does not exist, and thus sovereignty resides with the people, who exercise supreme political power and 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 <ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref> and Freedom House has Switzerland as one of the freest countries in the world, scoring 39/40 points on political rights, and 57/60 on civil liberties for a total of 96/100 in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Switzerland: Freedom in the World 2024 Country Report |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/switzerland/freedom-world/2024 |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Freedom House |language=en}}</ref>

{{Democracy Index rating|Switzerland|full democracy|2022}} According to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]], Switzerland was in 2023 the 4th most electorally democratic country in the world.<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref>

Cantonal and municipal politics vary in the different [[Canton (administrative division)|cantons]], which may have different systems.

== Federal level ==
Federalism refers to a vertical separation of powers. The aim is to avoid the concentration of power in a forum, which allows a moderation of state power and the easing of the duties of the federal state.

In Switzerland, it is above all a matter of designating the independence of the cantons vis-à-vis the Confederation.

===Executive branch===
{{Main|Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal administration of Switzerland}}

{{See also|List of members of the Swiss Federal Council|List of presidents of the Swiss Confederation}}
[[File:Karin Keller-Sutter (2024, cropped).jpg|left|thumb|224x224px|[[Karin Keller-Sutter]]
has served as [[President of the Swiss Confederation]] since 1 January 2025.]]
The [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Council]] is a seven-member executive council that heads the [[Federal administration of Switzerland|federal administration]], operating as a combination [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] and [[President (government title)|collective presidency]]. Any Swiss citizen eligible to be a member of the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]] can be elected;<ref>[[Swiss Federal Constitution]], art. 175 al. 3</ref> candidates do not have to register for the election, or to actually be members of the National Council. The Federal Council is elected by the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] for a four-year term. Present members are:<!--sort by seniority--> [[Guy Parmelin]] (SVP/UDC), [[Ignazio Cassis]] (FDP/PLR), [[Karin Keller-Sutter]] (FDP/PLR), [[Albert Rösti]] (SVP/UDC), [[Élisabeth Baume-Schneider]] (SP/PS), [[Beat Jans]] (SP/PS), and [[Martin Pfister]] (DM/LC).

The largely ceremonial [[President of the Swiss Confederation|President]] and Vice President of the Confederation are elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently. The President has almost no powers over and above his or her six colleagues, but undertakes representative functions generally performed by a president or prime minister in single-executive systems. The current President and Vice President are, as of 2025, [[Karin Keller-Sutter]] and [[Guy Parmelin]], respectively.

The Swiss executive is one of the most stable governments worldwide. Since 1848, it has never been renewed entirely simultaneously, providing a long-term continuity. From 1959 to 2003 the Federal Council was composed of a coalition of all major parties in the same ratio: two each from the (now-defunct) [[Free Democratic Party of Switzerland|Free Democratic Party]], [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] and (now-defunct) [[Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland|Christian Democratic People's Party]] and one from the [[Swiss People's Party]]. Changes in the Federal Council typically only occur in the event that one of the members resigns (only four incumbent members have been voted out of the office in over 150 years);{{sfn|Cormon|2014|p=32}} this member is almost always replaced by someone from the same party (and often also from the same linguistic group).

The Federal Chancellor is the head of the [[Federal Chancellery of Switzerland]], which acts as the general staff of the Federal Council. The Chancellery is divided into three distinct sectors. The Chancellor, currently [[Viktor Rossi]], is the formal head of the Federal Chancellor Sector, comprising the planning and strategy section, the Internal Services section, the political rights section, the federal crisis management training unit of the Federal Administration and the Records and Process Management section.

Two sectors are headed by the [[Vice-Chancellor of Switzerland|Vice-Chancellors]]: the Federal Council sector headed by [[Jörg De Bernardi]] manages the agenda of the Federal Council's meeting. This sector comprises the Section for Federal Council Affairs, the Legal Section, the Official Publications Centre, and the Central Language Services. The Information and Communications Sector is led ''ad interim'' by Ursula Eggenberger, following Vice-Chancellor [[André Simonazzi]]'s death in May 2024; this role also has expanded to become the official spokesman for the Federal Council in 2000. This sector includes the e-Government Section, the Communication Support Section and the Political Forum of the Confederation.

The federal government has been a coalition of the four major political parties since 1959, each with a number of seats that roughly reflects its share of electorate and representation in the federal parliament. The classic distribution of 2 CVP/PDC, 2 SP/PS, 2 FDP/PRD and 1 SVP/UDC as it stood from 1959 to 2003 was known as the "[[Magic formula (Swiss politics)|magic formula]]".{{sfn|Cormon|2014|p=32}}

This "magic formula" has been repeatedly criticised: in the 1960s, for excluding leftist opposition parties; in the 1980s, for excluding the emerging Green Party; and particularly after the [[1999 Swiss federal election|1999 election]], by the Swiss People's Party, which had by then grown from being the fourth-largest party in the National Council to being the largest. In the [[2003 Swiss federal election|2003 federal election]], the Swiss People's Party received (effective 1 January 2004) a second seat in the Federal Council, reducing the share of the Christian Democratic Party to one seat.

===Legislative branch===
[[File:Bundeshaus aus Luft.jpg|thumb|The [[Federal Palace of Switzerland|Federal Palace]], in [[Bern]], hosts the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] and the [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal Council]].]]
Switzerland has a [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] [[parliament]], the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]], which is composed of:
* the [[Council of States (Switzerland)|Council of States]] (46 seats, 2 seats per canton, except for six cantons which only have 1), also known as the upper chamber
* the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]] (200 seats, split between the cantons based on population), also known as the lower chamber
The Federal Assembly convenes to elect the members of the Federal Council.
The two chambers are equal (perfect bicameralism). This power-sharing system prevents monopolization of federal politics by more populated cantons to the detriment of smaller and rural cantons.

Members of both houses serve for 4 years and only serve as members of parliament part-time (so-called "Milizsystem" or [[Citizen legislature]]).<ref name="urlMiliz-Parlamentswissinfo.ch">{{cite web |url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/die-legislative-ist-ein-miliz-parlament/162442 |title=Die Legislative ist ein Miliz-Parlament - SWI swissinfo.ch |date=9 December 2009 |access-date=2016-12-13}}</ref>

====Political parties and elections====
{{Main|List of political parties in Switzerland|Elections in Switzerland|2023 Swiss federal election}}

Switzerland has a rich party landscape. The four parties represented in the Federal Council are generally called the government parties: [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|The Liberals]] (FDP/PLR), the [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] (SP/PS), [[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]] (DM/LC) and the [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP/UDC).

===Judicial branch===
Switzerland has a [[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Federal Supreme Court]], with judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly. The function of the [[Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland|Federal Supreme Court]] is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration.
Switzerland does not have a Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Court cannot comment on law put forward by the parliament. This role is assumed by the people, which acts as a guardian and can repeal any legislation or constitutional change.

== Administrative divisions ==
{{Main|Subdivisions of Switzerland}}

There are 26 [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons in Switzerland]].<ref>{{HDS|26414<!--Section 1-1-->|Cantons, In the Old Confederation until 1798}}</ref> Each canton has its own constitution, legislature, government and courts.<ref name="HDS Modern">{{HDS|26414<!--Section 1-4-->|Cantons, In the Federal State since 1848}}</ref>

In [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]] and [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]] citizens assemble each year for the ''[[Landsgemeinde]]'' (general assembly) to elect the cantonal government and judiciary and to vote on several issues on the agenda ([[direct democracy]])<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.thelocal.ch/20130524/appenzell-practices-democracy-in-its-purest-form
| title = Appenzell Innerhoden [sic] enjoys 'pure democracy'
| publisher = theLocal.ch
| date = 24 May 2013
| quote=Voting in Appenzell requires a large dose of patience. The more than 3,900 people crowded into the ring remain standing – only the elderly and handicapped are provided with seats – for more than three hours... "This is a very special occasion," whispers a woman standing outside the circle: "They will count the votes!" – something that hasn't happened for the past decade. For the count to happen, the crowd slowly splits into two currents and trickles out of the ring through two separate exits, each representing a candidate. Four counters at each exit click their buttons for each person who walks by.| access-date = 2013-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.landsgemeinde.gl.ch| title = Glarus Landsgemeinde}}</ref>

===Executive branch===
{{Main|List of cantonal executives of Switzerland}}

===Legislative branch===
{{Main|List of cantonal legislatures of Switzerland}}
== Direct representation ==
{{See also|Voting in Switzerland}}
Switzerland features a system of government not seen in any other nation: direct representation, sometimes called half-direct democracy (this may be arguable, because theoretically, the sovereign of Switzerland is actually its entire electorate).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Butler |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GXV-HFnk_9wC&pg=PR9 |title=Referendums Around the World: The Growing Use of Direct Democracy |date=1994 |publisher=American Enterprise Institute |isbn=9780844738536 |language=en}}</ref> [[Referendum]]s on the most important laws have been used since the [[Switzerland as a federal state|1848 constitution]].

Amendments to the Federal Constitution of Switzerland, the joining of international organisations, or changes to federal laws that have no foundation in the constitution but will remain in force for more than one year must be put to a popular vote and approved by the majority of both the people and the [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]], a [[double majority]]. These are called mandatory referendums. In March 2024 75% of mandatory referendums were accepted from a total of 226<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Politics |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/politics.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.bfs.admin.ch |language=en}}</ref>

Any citizen may challenge a law that has been passed by parliament through an optional referendum. If that person is able to gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days of the legislation being published, a national vote has to be scheduled where voters decide by a [[Majority|simple majority]] of the voters whether to accept or reject the law.<ref name="Cormon">[[Pierre Cormon]], Swiss Politics for Complete Beginners, Editions Slatkine, 2014, {{ISBN|978-2-8321-0607-5}}</ref> In March 2024 58% of optional referendums were accepted from a total of 209<ref name=":0" />

Furthermore, any citizen may seek a decision on an [[Constitutional amendment|amendment]] they want to make to the constitution. For such a [[federal popular initiative]] to be organised, the signatures of 100,000 voters must be collected within 18 months.{{sfn|Cormon|2014|p=23}} Such a [[federal popular initiative]] is formulated as a precise new text (general proposal initiatives have been canceled in 2009)<ref>{{cite web |last=ChF |first=Chancellerie fédérale |title=Votation No |url=http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/va/20090927/det544.html |access-date=19 April 2018 |website=Admin.ch}}</ref> whose wording can no longer be changed by parliament and the government. After a successful signature gathering, the [[Federal Council (Switzerland)|Federal Council]] may create a counterproposal to the proposed amendment and put it to vote on the same day as the original proposal. Such counterproposals are usually a compromise between the ''[[status quo]]'' and the wording of the initiative. Voters will decide in a national vote whether to accept the initiative amendment, the counterproposal put forward by the government if any, or both. If both are accepted, one has to additionally signal a preference. Initiatives (that are of constitutional level) have to be accepted by a [[double majority]] of both the popular votes and a majority of the cantons, while counter-proposals may be of legislative level and hence require only simple majority. In March 2024 11% of popular initiatives were accepted from a total of 231<ref name=":1" />

=== Challenges of direct democracy ===
When the optional referendum was first introduced in 1874 and the popular initiative was introduced in 1891, decisions by the liberal government at the time were constantly challenged and blocked through the use of these mechanisms by the conservatives who had lost the civil war in 1849. This resulted in a success rate of less than 50% for government decisions at the time. In this case, these direct democracy mechanisms directly inhibited the government’s ability to legislate and progress decisions. <ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Kübler |first=Daniel |date=2024-06-01 |title=Citizen participation through direct legislation: a road to success? A perspective from Switzerland |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43508-024-00092-7 |journal=Global Public Policy and Governance |language=en |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=184–196 |doi=10.1007/s43508-024-00092-7 |issn=2730-6305|doi-access=free }}</ref>

To resolve this problem, pre-parliamentary consultations were institutionalized in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century.  The Swiss government now undertakes procedures and practices that includes key stakeholders that would have the power and resources to challenge legislation through referendum in the process of formulating and writing legislation.  If these key groups respond negatively towards a proposed piece of legislation, the government will often sand down the edges to achieve a compromised position that is less likely to be formally challenged via a referendum or initiative.  In the last decade only approximately 5% of legislative acts were challenged to a referendum, of which over 70% were approved in the popular vote.<ref name=":2" />

To ensure that certain powerful groups do not entirely control the narrative on issues up for popular votes, there are rules in place such as prohibiting political advertising on television and radio and the media are required to provide fair and balanced accounts of events related to elections and popular votes. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Voting rights |url=https://www.ch.ch/en/votes-and-elections/votes/right-to-vote/#voting-rights-of-non-swiss-citizens |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.ch.ch |language=en}}</ref>

==Political conditions==
[[File:Swiss party politics 1985-2010 e.png|thumb|upright=2|Political positions of the [[List of political parties in Switzerland|Swiss political parties]] based on their referendum voting recommendations, 1985-90 and 2010-14]]
Switzerland has a stable government, with democratic power sharing through [[consociationalism]]. Most voters support the government in its philosophy of armed neutrality underlying its foreign and defense policies. Domestic policy poses some major problems, to the point that many observers deem that the system is in crisis{{sfn|Cormon|2014|p=55-61}} but the changing international environment has generated a significant reexamination of Swiss policy in key areas such as defense, neutrality, and immigration. Quadrennial national elections typically produce only marginal changes in party representation.

In recent years, Switzerland has seen a gradual shift in the party landscape. The [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] [[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP), traditionally the junior partner in the four-party [[coalition government]], more than doubled its voting share from 11.0% in 1987 to 22.5% in 1999, rising to 28.9% in 2007, thus overtaking its three coalition partners. This shift in voting shares put a strain on the "[[Magic formula (Swiss politics)|magic formula]]", the power-broking agreement of the four coalition parties. From 1959 until 2004, the seven-seat cabinet had comprised 2 Free Democrats, 2 Christian Democrats, 2 Social Democrats, and 1 Swiss People's Party, but in 2004, the Swiss People's Party took one seat from the Christian Democrats. In 2008 the [[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party]] split from the SVP, taking both of their Federal Council seats with them. However, the SVP eventually retook both seats, in 2009 and 2015 respectively.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Mombelli | first1=Armando | title=People's Party Gains Second Seat in Cabinet | url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/cabinet-elections_how-will-new-ingredients-change--magic-formula--/41825058 | date=10 December 2015 | website=[[Swissinfo]] | access-date=5 April 2016}}</ref>

The [[Swiss Federal Constitution]] limits federal influence in the formulation of [[domestic policy]] and emphasizes the roles of [[private enterprise]] and [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantonal government]]. However, in more recent times the powers of the Confederation have increased with regard to [[education]], [[agriculture]], [[health]], [[energy]], the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]], [[organized crime]], and [[narcotics]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Swiss Constitution|url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/%C3%BCber-das-parlament/how-does-the-swiss-parliament-work/Rules-governing-parliamentary-procedures/federal-constitution|access-date=2021-06-26|website=www.parlament.ch}}</ref>

{{Democracy Index rating|Switzerland|full democracy|2022}} According to [[Freedom House]], an American [[NGO]], Switzerland is among the freest countries in the world, with a 2020 score of 39/40 on [[political rights]] and 57/60 on [[civil liberties]] (for a combined score of 96/100).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Freedom in the World 2020: Switzerland|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/switzerland/freedom-world/2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201219110749/https://freedomhouse.org/country/switzerland/freedom-world/2020|archive-date=19 December 2020|access-date=9 February 2021|website=[[Freedom House]]}}</ref> Switzerland has a high level of [[freedom of the press|press freedom]], ranking 8th internationally (out of 180 countries) in the 2020 [[Press Freedom Index]] published by [[Reporters Without Borders]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 World Press Freedom Index: Switzerland|url=https://rsf.org/en/switzerland|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129011020/https://rsf.org/en/switzerland|archive-date=29 January 2021|access-date=9 February 2021|website=[[Reporters Without Borders]]}}</ref> Additionally, Switzerland is perceived to be among the least [[political corruption|politically corrupt]] nations in the world, ranking 3rd internationally (tied with [[Sweden]] and [[Singapore]]) in the 2020 [[Corruption Perceptions Index]] published by [[Transparency International]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Corruption Perceptions Index|url=https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2020/index/nzl|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208030807/https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2020/index/nzl|archive-date=8 February 2021|access-date=9 February 2021|website=[[Transparency International]]|date=28 January 2021 }}</ref>

=== Protesting in Switzerland ===
While there is not an explicit ban on protesting in Switzerland, the country has been criticized by groups such as Amnesty International for the obligation to gain official approval to protest and shoulder potential costs in some cantons. The 2024 Amnesty International annual report<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-23 |title=The State of the World's Human Rights: April 2024 |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/7200/2024/en/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref> found that peaceful protesters faced disproportionate restrictions by police and cantonal authorities. Amnesty International claim that the right to protest enables individuals to express universally recognized human rights such as freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, the right to life, and more. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Protest is an invaluable way to speak truth to power. |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/freedom-of-expression/protest/#:~:text=As%20well%20as%20the%20rights,other%20ill-treatment%20or%20punishment. |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}</ref>

== Foreign relations ==
{{Main|Foreign relations of Switzerland}}
Switzerland has avoided alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action. In June 2001, Swiss voters approved new legislation providing for the deployment of armed Swiss troops for international peacekeeping missions under [[United Nations]] or [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] auspices as well as international cooperation in military training. The Swiss have broadened the scope of activities in which they feel able to participate without compromising their neutrality.

Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as a [[Neutral country|neutral]] intermediary and host to major international treaty conferences. The country has no major disputes in its bilateral relations.

==Energy politics==
{{See also|Energy in Switzerland|Nuclear power in Switzerland}}

The [[energy]] generated in Switzerland comprises 55.2% [[hydroelectricity]], 39.9% from [[nuclear power]], about 4% from conventional sources and about 1% other.

On 18 May 2003, two [[referendum]]s 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 of 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 (law)|moratorium]] on the construction of new nuclear power plants was the result of a [[federal popular initiative]] voted on in 1990 which had passed with 54.5% Yes vs. 45.5% No votes (see [[Nuclear power in Switzerland]] for details).

In May 2011, due to the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster|Fukushima accident]] in Japan, the Swiss government decided to abandon plans to build new nuclear reactors. The country's five existing reactors will be allowed to continue operating, but will not be replaced at the end of their life span. The last will go offline in 2034.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/business/global/26nuclear.html?_r=1 | work=The New York Times | first=James | last=Kanter | title=Switzerland Decides on Nuclear Phase-Out | date=2011-05-25}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Modern history of Switzerland]]
*[[Demographics of Switzerland]]
*[[Semidirect democracy]]
*[[Federal popular initiative]]
*[[Referendum]], [[List of Swiss federal referendums]]
*[[Concordance system]]
*[[Constitutional convention (political custom)#Switzerland|Constitutional conventions of Switzerland]]
*[[Hate speech laws by country#Switzerland|Hate speech laws in Switzerland]]
*[[Voting in Switzerland]]
*[[Militia System]]
*[[Political Institutions Committee]]

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last=[[Pierre Cormon]]| title=Swiss politics for complete beginners : how things work in this strange country where you can happily survive withouh knowing the name of the president, but where you vote on almost everything | publisher=Slatkine | publication-place=Genève | date=2014 | isbn=978-2-8321-0607-5 | oclc=896111323 |url=http://www.slatkine.com/fr/editions-slatkine/68201-book-07210607-9782832106075.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104192233/http://www.slatkine.com/fr/editions-slatkine/68201-book-07210607-9782832106075.html| archive-date=4 November 2014}}
*{{Citation |last=Hirschbühl |first=Tina |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUXkX4U1Ir8  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/SUXkX4U1Ir8| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=The Swiss Government Report 1 |publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Presence Switzerland |date=2011a  |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
*{{Citation |last=Hirschbühl |first=Tina |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QJORezLAaw  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/9QJORezLAaw| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=The Swiss Government Report 2 |publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Presence Switzerland |date=2011b  |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
*{{Citation |last=Hirschbühl |first=Tina |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Ei50c2c1I  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/V9Ei50c2c1I| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=How Direct Democracy Works in Switzerland - Report 3 |publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Presence Switzerland |date=2011c  |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
*{{Citation |last=Hirschbühl |first=Tina |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp48yJT4Cy4  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Fp48yJT4Cy4| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=How People in Switzerland Vote - Report 4 |publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Presence Switzerland |date=2011d  |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
*{{Citation |last=Hirschbühl |first=Tina |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp66RSP8gAQ  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/pp66RSP8gAQ| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=Switzerland & the EU: The Bilateral Agreements - Report 5 |publisher=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Presence Switzerland |date=2011e  |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
* Wolf Linder, Yannis Papadopoulos, Hanspeter Kriesi, Peter Knoepfel, Ulrich Klöti, Pascal Sciarini:
** ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070501094809/http://www.nzz-libro.ch/de/detail.php?actuel=1&pageNum_articlegroup=&totalRows_articlegroup=&up_oberKatNr=&up_katNr=&up_oberArtikelNr=&up_oberArtikelNr=479 Handbook of Swiss Politics]'', Neue Zürcher Zeitung Publishing, 2007, {{ISBN|978-3-03823-136-3}}.
** ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070501094809/http://www.nzz-libro.ch/de/detail.php?actuel=1&pageNum_articlegroup=&totalRows_articlegroup=&up_oberKatNr=&up_katNr=&up_oberArtikelNr=&up_oberArtikelNr=479 Handbuch der Schweizer Politik / Manuel de la politique suisse]'', Verlag Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 2007, {{ISBN|978-3-03823-136-3}}.
* Vincent Golay and Mix et Remix, ''Swiss political institutions'', Éditions loisirs et pédagogie, 2008. {{ISBN|978-2-606-01295-3}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.admin.ch Swiss government site] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090504114919/http://www.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en in English])
* [http://www.parliament.ch Swiss parliament site] ([http://www.parlament.ch/E/Pages/welcomepage.aspx in English])
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070612235320/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-s/switzerland.html Chief of State and Cabinet Members]
* [http://www.swissworld.org/dvd_rom/eng/direct_democracy_2004/content/fedrights/factsheet.pdf Political rights at the federal level]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110619021619/http://www.parlamentsspiegel.ch/welcome/parlaspiegel/parlaspiegel_48-de.html The political landscape of the present parliament depicted in a graph]
* [https://www.ch.ch/en/swiss-political-system Swiss political system]

{{Switzerland topics}}
{{Politics of Europe}}
{{Portal bar|Politics|Switzerland}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics of Switzerland}}
[[Category:Politics of Switzerland| ]]