THE SWISS CONFEDERATION A BRIEF GUIDe 2011 Index Accumulation 16 Cantons 15, 24, 25, 28 Collegiality 43 Committees 34, 35 Communes 15 Concordance 43 Confederation 15 Council of States 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 Delegations 34 Departments (overview) 44, 45 Executive 15, 40 Federal Assembly 30, 31 Federal Chancellery 46, 47 Federal Council 15, 40–43 Federal Offices (overview) 44, 45 Federal Supreme Court 15, 77, 78, 79 Half-cantons 28 Initiative 17, 33 Cover picture: Interpellation 33 With the parliament building behind her, ‘Lora’ can be seen almost every day Judiciary 15, 76–80 on the Bundesplatz in Bern. She is not posing for journalists or TV cameras Legislature 15, 32 in the hope of becoming a national star; she is watching her master’s and his Magic Formula 43 opponent’s every move in a game of chess. Which player will put the other in Mandatory referendum 16, 17 check, and when and how will they do it? Or will it be a tie again? Motion 33 Content National Council 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 Information services of the Federal Chancellery, the Departments, Optional referendum 16, 17 Parliamentary Services and Federal Courts Parliament 22–36 Jeanmaire & Michel AG Parliamentary groups 34, 36 Concept, design, composition Parliamentary services 37 Je anmaire & Michel AG, www.agentur.ch Parties 18–21, 30, 31, 43 Photography Petition 17 Alexander Jaquemet, Erlach Postulate 33 Parliamentary and Federal Council photos: Monika Flückiger, Bern Photos of Micheline Calmy-Rey pages 4–7: Manuel Bauer, Winterthur Proportional representation 16, 25 Party landscape, page 21: Michael Hermann, Geographical Institute, Referendum 16, 17 University of Zurich Right to elect 16 Editorial deadline Right to vote 16 31 December 2010 Separation of powers 15 Sessions 32, 33 This publication is also available in German, French, Italian and Romansh. Send Simple majority 25 a self-addressed label to the following address to receive your free copy: SFBL, Distribution of Publications, 3003 Bern or www.bundespublikationen.admin.ch Sovereign 15 Splitting the vote 16 Art. No. 104.617.e Swiss Abroad 29 33rd edition, 2011 The Swiss Confederation ­ a brief guide Dear reader, or me personally, politics is always exciting. But 2011 will be a particularly interesting year for us F all as it is an election year. On 23 October elections to the National Council will be held in all cantons, and to the Council of States in many of the cantons. And in December there will be fresh elections to the Federal Council. A new legislative period will begin. And 2011 is a special year in other respects. 8 March An election year raises the public’s awareness of po- is the hundredth anniversary of International Women’s litical issues and also causes the parties and candidates Day, and this year Swiss women celebrate 40 years of the to present their opinions in a more defined way. At the vote. For the first time in its history, the Swiss Confed- end of the day some will have been elected, others not. eration has a government composed mainly of women. But following the elections, in contrast to other democ- Last year, the three highest offices in the country were racies, our country will not be governed by just one or held by women, and in this election year Switzerland two parties, but by a collegial government which enjoys will again be represented by a woman in the person of broad support. And parliament, composed of a range of President Micheline Calmy-Rey. The coming months will political forces, will continue to seek sustainable solu- show what role the more equal representation between tions; sometimes the vote will be passed by a large ma- the sexes, regions and languages plays in the election jority, sometimes by a narrower one. Our political sys- campaign, besides the specific and ideological issues. I tem, which has been built on consensus and compromise very much hope that a large proportion of the electorate since the foundation of the federal state, has proved to will make use of their right to vote. be a strong one. This is borne out, for example, by the This brochure gives you a detailed yet clear overview fact that Switzerland has weathered the economic crisis of the opportunities our democracy offers to individuals – which was triggered by the financial crisis – relatively and the people as a whole; it explains how exactly our well in comparison with other countries. successful, federally-constructed political system works 2011 is a year in which preparations for the new leg- and how the legislature, executive and judiciary function islative period are being made; it is an opportunity for together. the Federal Council to reflect more closely on the great challenges facing the country and equip Switzerland with a new legislative programme for the coming years. Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova Contents THE LEGISLATURE: NATIONAL COUNCIL AND COUNCIL OF STATES OR The Swiss parliament 11 Questions for President Micheline Calmy-Rey 4 Population, Finances 8 A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OR How long has there been a Switzerland? 10 THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF ParliaMent or a uniQue Political systeM or The two ways into parliament 24 Swiss democracy MEMBERS OF THE NAtional council or Representing Switzerland’s 7.8m inhabitants 26 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF STAtes or Representing the 26 cantons 28 Sommaruga Luginbühl Simonetta Werner Hansruedi Hansheiri Inderkum Stadler Niederberger Felix Gutzwiller Verena Diener Konrad Graber Paul Helen Leumann-Würsch Hans Schweiger Hess Bruno Frick Alex Kuprecht Rolf ZH Peter BL Pankraz Bieri AG Freitag BE BE This 32 107 Jenny vakant 15 TG 139 Kathy Hans Rudolf AI iP Ruth Riklin Gysin er 149 Büttiker 59 opirT Werner AR Urs Humbel Näf zen Schwaller Rolf Norbert Messmer 110 LU Marianne 111 Hochreutener UR Alain GermHanannes Kleiner Berset Arthur 71 GR Gabi SZ Loepfe LU SG 65 Huber AG TI Peter AG 152 Anita Briner Ruedi 64 126 123 Fetz 142 ZH Fulvio Lustenberger Ida Sep Walter Forster-Vannini Philipp Pelli TG SG Cathomas Müller 25 50 75 Glanzmann- Müller Claude Reto 140 Hunkeler Markus ZH Johann N. BE Janiak Erika Markus Hutter 26 Schneider- Wehrli ZG 119 Zemp Filippo Ammann 148 Leutenegger 49 VS BE Ivo Eugen Brigitte Thomas Christa Häberli- ZH 68 Bischofberger David Müller BE GR Markwalder LU Koller VS Georges 80 LU Bär Theiler Egerszegi-Obrist BL Gerhard 34 127 67 27 ZH Hans Pfister ZH Altherr Christine 177 58 Ruedi Tarzisius Otto Ruedi SG 24 Noser 170 Christophe LU 105 Walter Aeschbacher Caviezel Ineichen Darbellay SO 176 Kathrin Doris Charles VD Maximilian Viola Donzé BE Favre Amacker- Fiala 52 172 Amherd Christian Isabelle VD Reimann SO Amann 118 66 Wasserfallen Moret Lucrezia 100 188 FR 89 Pius ZH BS Martine Meier- ZH Peter Schatz Elvira Segmüller Brunschwig ZH SO 184 Graf GE Bader ZH Malama 90 AG Sylvie NE Pirmin 28 93 141 Perrinjaquet ZH 29 151 TI 83 Bischof Martin Kurt Corina Ignazio Thérèse 31 Tiana GL Meyer- 33 Bäumle Fluri Eichenberger- Cassis 173 VS FR Urs 78 Kaelin Angelina Walther 190 Claude AG Barbara Ruey Hany SG Moser Martin Christian Schmid- 30 171 Federer Landolt Lüscher GE Filippo Thomas 57 BE Olivier VD Lombardi Weibel Ursula Français 179 82 ZH Haller vakant 138 BE 122 TI Dominique TI de Buman VS Esther Yvonne ZH 56 150 BE 86 Fabio Dick Egger-Wyss Gilli 157 Hans 23 Jacques Abate TI Marty vakant GE Grunder Bourgeois FR ZG Daniel 196 BE 53 20 Vischer Yves ZH 155 178 Therese Marlies Nidegger 125 Meinrado Roberto Frösch 132 AG Hansjörg Robbiani GE Bänziger GR Schmidt Walter Hassler 189 ImoberdRoernfé BL 79 Hugues Glur Hiltpold Josef GE BL 54 Lang NE 19 GE Franziska SG 76 158 Anita André Jean-René OW 124 Bugnon Thanei Teuscher VD 115 Christoph SG 198 Brigitta M. Luc 106 von Rotz Fournier 185 Lukas Gadient GR VD Barthassat BS Maya 134 AG 103 Francine Reimann AG Graf 168 Susanne John-Calame Luzi 144 Leutenegger 195 ZH 40 Alexander J. Oberholzer Adèle Stamm Baumann ZH Ueli Simon 120 Leuenberger Thorens 109 3 Hildegard 99 SH Schenk BE Hans Fässler- Goumaz Thomas TG Fehr Maury Pasquier Osterwalder Anita Liliane Lachenmeier- 22 Hurter SG BE 137 Thüring Katharina 60 Doris BE Andreas Stump Prelicz- Brönnimann BE ZH 162 16 62 Christine Huber Pierre- Josef Goll AG François BE Kunz Robert VD GR 133 Veillon Cramer 121 47 Hans Paul 55 Hans LU Rutschmann Rechsteiner Hans ZH Alec GE 21 114 Stöckli Killer Theophil 43 von Pfister SO Bastien 102 4 BE Evi Graffenried BL Alfred Allemann Girod Christian Heer SG 128 TI Miesch 116 Andrea vakant Hämmerle ZH 18 VD 194 Daniel Antonio SZ Jositsch 48 94 5 Ursula Bea Hodgers Hans 197 SG Wyss Heim Kaufmann André BL Reymond THE UNITED FEDERAL ASSEMBLy or 154 39 Fabio Rudolf ZH Joder SH Pedrina BE 167 GE Daniel 74 180 Oskar Andy GE Brélaz Tschümperlin Freysinger BE 104 Eric Nussbaumer VD 38 BS 45 FR 7 Jean-Pierre 108 Margret Natalie Graber Hans-Jürg Kiener 98 Fehr Jean-Henri Nellen Simone VS Rickli Dunant BE 192 Maria 187 Yvan Roth- Perrin Bernasconi BE ZH VD ZH 169 BS Christian 97 112 Elmar Silvia van Singer Bigger Schenker TI 88 Marie- Thérèse Weber-Gobet NE 46 Ricardo Lumengo 73 Pirmin Schwander 14 Mario ZH 164 Fehr SO Ada 63 199 Dominique Marra Felix Baettig VD Müri SG 153 Marina Carobbio Guscetti GE 160 Jean-Pierre Grin SZ VD LU 9 Ernst Schibli 13 JU Jacqueline 95 Brigit Fehr Wyss GE 175 Josef Zisyadis 30 VD 191 Jean-Charles Rielle i b e A s a e r d n A 5 Number of ballot papers distributed: 246 3 i n ä B r e g i k c ü l Aubert F Josiane 163 S V a i v l y S 9 2 1 U L ZH i l e g r ö M h p o t s i r h 193 C Carlo Sommaruga 6 E N G A y e r e f f u Z - r e s u a l G t r e b l e h c S e c i l A i n i s s o R E B e n a h