Due to construction work on the Federal Palace, the third parliamentary session held outside Bern – after Geneva in 1993 and Lugano in 2001 – took place in Flims in canton Graubünden last autumn. While the National Council The Legislative B found itself debating at the indoor tennis courts for three weeks, the Council of States met in the Art Nouveau gazebo of the Waldhaus Parkhotel. 18 ve Branch: National Council and Council of States 19 The election of parliament Switzerland has a bicameral parliament at federal level: the federal chambers, which together constitute the United Federal Assembly. The National Council represents the overall population and the Council of States, the member states of the Confederation, i.e. the cantons. This system reflects the two principles on which the structure of the State is founded: the democratic principle according to which every vote carries the same weight and the federalist principle by which all cantons are treated equally. The cantons are represented in the Council of The People are represented in the National Council States The small chamber has 46 seats: 20 can- The large chamber has 200 seats. The number of deputies tons elect two representatives each and the six from a canton (each of which is a constituency) depends former half-cantons (Obwalden and Nidwalden, on its population size. Zurich with its large population Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausser- has 34 seats, while Uri and Glarus, Obwalden and Nid- rhoden, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft) each walden and Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell elect one representative. In all cantons – with Ausserrhoden are each entitled to just one representa- the exception of Jura – the people elect their tive. Proportional representation is used for elections in deputies by a majority voting system. cantons with more than one seat. Seats in the Council of States Canton Seats in the National Council Inhabitants 2 Zurich 34 1 228 600 2 Bern 26 947 100 2 Vaud 18 626 200 2 Aargau 15 550 900 2 St. Gallen 12 452 600 2 Geneva 11 414 300 2 Lucerne 10 350 600 2 Ticino 8 311 900 2 Valais 7 278 200 1 Basel-Landschaft 7 261 400 2 Solothurn 7 245 500 2 Fribourg 7 239 100 2 Thurgau 6 228 200 1 Basel-Stadt 5 186 700 2 Graubünden 5 185 700 The former half-cantons 2 Neuchâtel 5 166 500 Six cantons, which had once formed 2 Schwyz 4 131 400 a single entity and then subsequently divided, used to be considered half- 2 Zug 3 100 900 cantons. These were Obwalden and Nidwalden which divided even before 2 Schaffhausen 2 73 400 1291, the two Appenzells which 2 Jura 2 69 100 divided in 1597 on religious grounds, and Basel which saw one part break 1 Appenzell Ausserrhoden 1 53 200 away from the town in 1833. 1 Nidwalden 1 38 600 2 Glarus 1 38 300 2 Uri 1 35 000 1 Obwalden 1 32 700 1 Appenzell Innerrhoden 1 15 000 20 Members of the Council of States The rules for elections to the small chamber vary from one canton to another; however, the term of office is always four years as in the National Council. ZH 1 Trix GL 13 This AR 25 Hans VD 37 Michel Heberlein Jenny Altherr Béguelin FDP, 2003 SVP, 1998 FDP, 2004 SP, 1999 [3] [5] [10] [1] [6] [8] [12] [1] [5] [7] [2] [3] [7] ZH 2 Hans GL 14 Fritz AI 26 Carlo VD 38 Christiane Hofmann Schiesser Schmid-Sutter Langenberger SVP, 1998 FDP, 1990 CVP, 1980 FDP, 1999 [2] [6] [8] [4] [9] [11] [3] [6] [10] [4] [5] [7] BE 3 Hans ZG 15 Peter SG 27 Eugen VS 39 Simon Lauri Bieri David Epiney SVP, 2001 CVP, 1995 CVP, 1999 CVP, 1999 [1] [9] [4] [7] [8] [4] [5] [9] [1] [6] [11] BE 4 Simonetta ZG 16 Rolf SG 28 Erika VS 40 Rolf Sommaruga Schweiger Forster-Vannini Escher SP, 2003 FDP, 1999 FDP, 1995 CVP, 1999 [3] [6] [9] [11] [1] [6] [11] [5] [6] [9] [2] [6] [8] [10] LU 5 Helen FR 17 Alain GR 29 Christoffel NE 41 Pierre Leumann-Würsch Berset Brändli Bonhôte FDP, 1995 SP, 2003 SVP, 1995 SP, 2005 [2] [4] [7] [9] [1] [9] [11] [12] [5] [6] [8] [2] [10] [11] LU 6 Franz FR 18 Urs GR 30 Theo NE 42 Gisèle Wicki Schwaller Maissen Ory CVP, 1995 CVP, 2003 CVP, 1995 SP, 2003 [2] [9] [11] [1] [5] [7] [3] [4] [7] [12] [2] [4] [5] UR 7 Hansheiri SO 19 Rolf AG 31 Thomas GE 43 Christiane Inderkum Büttiker Pfisterer Brunner CVP, 1995 FDP, 1991 FDP, 1999 SP, 1995 [6] [10] [11] [6] [8] [10] [1] [6] [8] [3] [5] [10] UR 8 Hansruedi SO 20 Ernst AG 32 Maximilian GE 44 Françoise Stadler Leuenberger Reimann Saudan CVP, 1999 SP, 1999 SVP, 1995 FDP, 1995 [2] [4] [11] [1] [8] [9] [3] [7] [10] [2] [3] [10] SZ 9 Bruno BS 21 Anita TG 33 Hermann JU 45 Madeleine Frick Fetz Bürgi Amgwerd CVP, 1991 SP, 2003 SVP, 1999 CVP, 2003 [3] [5] [9] [1] [4] [5] [4] [7] [11] [2] [4] [7] SZ 10 Alex BL 22 Hans TG 34 Philipp JU 46 Pierre-Alain Kuprecht Fünfschilling Stähelin Gentil SVP, 2003 FDP, 1999 CVP, 1999 SP, 1995 [2] [5] [7] [10] [1] [4] [8] [1] [3] [5] [7] [8] [10] OW 11 Hans SH 23 Peter TI 35 Filippo Hess Briner Lombardi FDP, 1998 FDP, 1999 CVP, 1999 [2] [7] [8] [11] [2] [3] [10] [12] [1] [6] [8] [12] The year of election to the Council is stated NW 12 Marianne SH 24 Hannes TI 36 Dick Slongo Germann Marty after the member’s party affiliation; the figures CVP, 1999 SVP, 2002 FDP, 1995 in brackets refer to the committees to which [8] [9] [10] [3] [4] [9] [11] [3] [9] [11] the member belongs (see page 27). 21 Members of the National Council Elections to the large chamber are held once every four years. The Federal Constitution guarantees at least one seat for each canton. In the cantons entitled to more than one seat because of their population, the people have elected their deputies by a system of proportional representation since 1919; that means that the number of seats held by the parties in the Council is roughly equivalent to the share of votes cast for them. ZH 1 Max ZH 21 Vreni BE 41 Peter LU 61 Franz ZG 81 Marcel Binder Müller-Hemmi Vollmer Brun Scherer SVP, 1991 SP, 1995 SP, 1989 CVP, 2003 SVP, 1999 [2] [8] [3] [4] [1] [8] [8] [12] [5] [12] ZH 2 Toni ZH 22 Anita BE 42 Ursula LU 62 Ida FR 82 Dominique Bortoluzzi Thanei Wyss Glanzmann-Hunkeler de Buman SVP, 1991 SP, 1995 SP, 1999 CVP, 2006 CVP, 2003 [5] [12] [11] [6] [10] [2] [7] [2] [4] [9] ZH 3 Hans ZH 23 Felix BE 43 Adrian LU 63 Ruedi FR 83 Thérèse Fehr Gutzwiller Amstutz Lustenberger Meyer SVP, 1995 FDP, 1999 SVP, 2003 CVP, 1999 CVP, 1999 [10] [5] [10] [6] [10] [5] [10] ZH 4 Hans ZH 24 Rolf BE 44 Ursula LU 64 Josef FR 84 Erwin Kaufmann Hegetschweiler Haller Kunz Jutzet SVP, 1999 FDP, 1991 SVP, 1999 SVP, 1995 SP, 1995 [1] [9] [6] [8] [7] [4] [6] [3] [11] ZH 5 Robert ZH 25 Markus BE 45 Rudolf LU 65 Otto FR 85 Christian Keller Hutter Joder Laubacher Levrat SVP, 1999 FDP, 2003 SVP, 1999 SVP, 1999 SP, 2003 [6] [12] [1] [10] [11] [8] [8] ZH 6 Ueli ZH 26 Filippo BE 46 Fritz Abraham LU 66 Felix FR 86 Hugo Maurer Leutenegger Oehrli Müri Fasel SVP, 1991 FDP, 2003 SVP, 1995 SVP, 2003 CSP, 1991 [1] [8] [10] [2] [7] [3] [2] [5] ZH 7 Christoph ZH 27 Ruedi BE 47 Simon LU 67 Otto FR 87 Jean-Paul Mörgeli Noser Schenk Ineichen Glasson SVP, 1999 FDP, 2003 SVP, 1994 FDP, 2003 FDP, 1999 [3] [4] [8] [4] [2] [11] ZH 8 Hans ZH 28 Ruth BE 48 Walter LU 68 Georges FR 88 Jean-François Rutschmann Genner Schmied Theiler Rime SVP, 2004 GP, 1998 SVP, 1991 FDP, 1995 SVP, 2003 [6] [12] [4] [9] [3] [6] [8] [9] ZH 9 Ernst ZH 29 Daniel BE 49 Hansruedi LU 69 Louis SO 89 Boris Schibli Vischer Wandfluh Schelbert Banga SVP, 2001 GP, 2003 SVP, 1999 GP, 2006 SP, 1995 [3] [10] [11] [9] [10] [3] [7] ZH 10 Ulrich ZH 30 Urs BE 50 Hermann LU 70 Hans SO 90 Bea Schlüer Hany Weyeneth Widmer Heim SVP, 1995 CVP, 2006 SVP, 1994 SP, 1996 SP, 2003 [3] [7] [2] [1] [10] [4] [7] [10] ZH 11 Jürg ZH 31 Kathy BE 51 Christa UR 71 Gabi SO 91 Roland Stahl Riklin Markwalder Bär Huber Borer SVP, 1999 CVP, 1999 FDP, 2003 FDP, 2003 SVP, 1991 [5] [6] [3] [4] [3] [4] [11] [5] [7] ZH 12 Bruno ZH 32 Ruedi BE 52 Johann N. SZ 72 Peter SO 92 Walter Zuppiger Aeschbacher Schneider Föhn Wobmann SVP, 1999 EVP, 1999 FDP, 1999 SVP, 1995 SVP, 2003 [1] [9] [6] [11] [9] [8] [3] ZH 13 Jacqueline ZH 33 Martin BE 53 Marc SZ 73 Pirmin SO 93 Kurt Fehr Bäumle Suter Schwander Fluri SP, 1998 glp, 2003 FDP, 1991–2003, 2007 SVP, 2003 FDP, 2003 [5] [8] [6] [12] [1] [10] [11] ZH 14 Mario ZH 34 Markus BE 54 Pierre SZ 74 Josi SO 94 Rudolf Fehr Wäfler Triponez Gyr-Steiner Steiner SP, 1999 EDU, 2003 FDP, 1999 SP, 2003 FDP, 1993 [3] [1] [5] [2] [12] [1] [6] ZH 15 Chantal BE 35 Evi BE 55 Therese SZ 75 Reto SO 95 Elvira Galladé Allemann Frösch Wehrli Bader SP, 2003 SP, 2003 GB, 2003 CVP, 2003 CVP, 1999 [4] [8] [1] [5] [9] ZH 16 Christine BE 36 André BE 56 Franziska OW 76 Adriano BS 96 Remo Goll Daguet Teuscher Imfeld Gysin SP, 1991 SP, 2003 GP, 1995 CVP, 2001 SP, 1995 [2] [5] [2] [5] [8] [9] [3] [9] ZH 17 Andreas BE 37 Paul BE 57 Walter NW 77 Eduard BS 97 Rudolf Gross Günter Donzé Engelberger Rechsteiner SP, 1991 SP, 1979–91, 1995 EVP, 2000 FDP, 1995 SP, 1995 [10] [7] [12] [7] [10] [7] [10] [5] [6] ZH 18 Barbara BE 38 Margret BE 58 Bernhard GL 78 Werner BS 98 Silvia Haering Kiener Nellen Hess Marti Schenker SP, 1990 SP, 2003 SD, 1999 SP, 1991 SP, 2003 [7] [1] [1] [8] [5] ZH 19 Vreni BE 39 Hans BE 59 Norbert ZG 79 Josef BS 99 Jean Henri Hubmann Stöckli Hochreutener Lang Dunant SP, 1995 SP, 2004 CVP, 1995–99, 2003 AL, 2003 SVP, 1999 [10] [11] [10] [12] [8] [11] [7] [5] ZH 20 Barbara BE 40 Ruth-Gaby BE 60 Christian ZG 80 Gerhard BS 100 Urs Marty Kälin Vermot-Mangold Waber Pfister Schweizer SP, 2000 SP, 1995 EDU, 1997 CVP, 2003 FDP, 2006 [6] [10] [2] [3] [10] [2] [6] 22 The year of election into the Council is stated after the member’s party affiliation; the figures in brackets refer to the committees to which the member belongs (see page 27).