The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 2009 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 Factions 34, 36 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 Interpellation 33 Judiciary 15, 76–80 Legislature 15, 32 Magic Formula 43 Mandatory referendum 16, 17 Motion 33 National Council 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 Optional referendum 16, 17 Parliament 22–36 Parliamentary services 37 Parties 18–21, 30, 31, 43 Petition 17 Postulate 33 Proportional representation 16, 25 Referendum 16, 17 Right to elect 16 Right to vote 16 Separation of powers 15 Sessions 32, 33 Simple majority 25 Sovereign 15 Splitting the vote 16 Swiss Abroad 29 Cover picture: A budding Swiss citizen peaks into the Parliament Building – not the recently renovated original in Bern, but the 1:25 model at the Swiss miniature exhibition in Melide, Ticino The Swiss Confederation a brief guide Dear reader, ne of the most exciting moments in Swiss poli­ tics has to be the Federal Council elections, as O things very often come down to every last vote. Following the election of a new member of government by the United Federal Assembly on 10 December 2008, it is worth looking back at the colourful history of these elections: It took over 130 years for the first woman to be elected to the Federal Council in 1984. Today I am pleased to say that there are three women in the Federal two SVP members who had been elected in 2007 shifted Council. When our federal state was founded in 1848, their allegiance to the newly created BDP (Conservative the Federal Council consisted entirely of members of the Democratic Party) following party-internal disputes. Free Radical Party. It was only in 1891 that the first Following the elections of 10 December 2008, the SVP Catholic-Conservative (precursor to the CVP) member is once again represented in the Federal Council. All of joined the government. After that, it again took some which goes to show that Federal Council elections do time until the first representative of the Farmers’, Trades’ not simply follow a set pattern. In the 19th century they and Citizens’ Party (precursor to the SVP) was elected were even referred to as a lottery. In recent years, the in 1929 and until a member of the Social Democratic eve of the Federal Council elections has been termed the Party was elected in 1943. It was exactly 50 years ago “night of the long knives”. One thing is certain: Federal that the “magic formula” was established in 1959, a for­ Council elections frequently offer an element of surprise mula which stood for over 40 years: during that period, and moments of suspense. the Federal Council consisted of two Federal Councillors In 2009 we will also be turning our attention to sport from the FDP, two from the SP, two from the CVP and in the shape of the ice hockey world championship, one member from the SVP. In 2003 though the SVP won which is being held here in Switzerland. In sport just a seat from the CVP. That election represented a break as in politics, it is not about claiming the spotlight. It is from the past. It not only brought an end to the long­ about perseverance, teamwork, mutual respect and fair standing political composition of the government (end play. Only then is the contribution of each individual of the magic formula), but it was also the first time in crowned by success. On that note I wish you a success­ many years that a sitting member of the Federal Coun­ ful year and hope you enjoy reading this booklet, which cil was not re-elected (this had only happened twice will give you an insight into the country’s political work­ in the early years of the federal state [1854, 1872]). In ings and the Federal Authorities. 2007, there was a repeat when a member of the Federal Councillor, once again failed to be re-elected. In 2008 the party-political constellation altered again after the Federal Chancellor: Corina Casanova The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 1 Contents THE LEGISLATURE: NATIONAL COUNCIL AND COUNCIL OF STATES OR The Swiss parliament Interview with President Hans-Rudolf Merz 4 Population, Finances 8 A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OR How long has there been a Switzerland? 10 THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OR The two ways into parliament 24 A UNIQUE POLITICAL SYSTEM OR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OR Swiss democracy Representing Switzerland’s 7.5m inhabitants 26 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF STATES OR 28 Representing the 26 cantons 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 Leuenberger BE BE 107 This 32 51 TG Jenny Ernst 139 Kathy Hans Rudolf AI Pierre Ruth Riklin Gysin 149 Büttiker 59 Triponez Werner AR Urs Humbel Näf Schwaller Rolf Norbert Messmer 110 LU Marianne 111 Hochreutener UR Alain GermannHannes 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 Wehrli Markus Hutter 26 Schneider- 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 178 58 Ruedi Tarzisius Ruedi SG Otto 24 Christophe LU 105 Walter Aeschbacher Caviezel Noser 170 SO 176 Ineichen Doris Charles Darbellay Kathrin Donzé BE VD Maximilian Viola Fiala 52 172 Favre Amacker- Christoffel Amherd Christian Isabelle VD Reimann SO Amann Brändli 118 66 Wasserfallen Moret Lucrezia 100 188 FR 89 Pius ZH BS Martine Meier- ZH Peter Schatz Elvira Segmüller SO Brunschwig Theo ZH 184 Graf GE Maissen 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 BE Meyer- 33 Bäumle Fluri Eichenberger- Cassis 173 VS FR Urs 60 Kaelin Angelina Walther 190 Claude AG Barbara Ruey Hany SG Moser Christian Christian Schmid- 30 171 VD Federer Waber Lüscher GE Filippo Thomas 57 BE Olivier VD Lombardi Weibel Ursula Français 177 82 ZH Haller Maurice 138 ZH 122 TI Dominique TI Chevrier de Buman VS Esther Yvonne ZH 56 150 Egger-Wyss Gilli 157 BE 86 Fabio Dick 23 Hans Jacques Abate Philipp GE TI Marty Daniel Attilio Grunder Bourgeois FR Stähelin ZG Bignasca 196 BE 53 20 Vischer Yves ZH Therese 36 155 179 Marlies Nidegger 125 Adrian Meinrado Roberto Frösch 132 AG Hansjörg Amstutz Robbiani GE Bänziger GR Hermann Schmidt Walter Hassler 189 Bürgi ImoberdorfRené BL 79 Hugues BE Glur Hiltpold Josef GE BL 55 Lang NE 19 GE Franziska SG 76 158 Anita André Jean-René OW 124 Bugnon Thanei Teuscher VD 116 Christoph SG 198 Brigitta M. 61 von Rotz Yvette Luc 106 Gadient VD Fournier BS 186 Lukas GR Estermann Géraldine Barthassat Maya 134 AG 103 Francine Reimann Savary AG Graf 168 Susanne John-Calame Luzi 144 LU 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 Luc Maury Pasquier Osterwalder Anita Liliane Lachenmeier- 22 Hurter 42 SG Recordon 137 BE Hansruedi Thüring Katharina 146 ZH Wandfluh Doris BE Hansjörg Stump Prelicz- Walter 16 BE ZH 162 Huber 62 Christine Pierre- Josef BE Goll AG François TG Kunz Robert VD GR 133 Veillon 8 Cramer 121 47 Hans Didier Paul 54 Hans LU Rut Rechsteiner Hans SZ Alec GE 21 115 Stöckli Killer Theophil Burkhalter 43 von Pfister schmann 1 SO Bastien 102 4 Max BE Evi Graffenried BL Alfred Binder Allemann Girod Christian Heer ZH SG 128 TI Miesch 114 Andrea Jasmin Hämmerle Hutter Gisèle ZH ZH 74 VD 194 Andy Antonio Ory GL Tschümperlin 87 81 48 94 Jean- Marcel Ursula Bea Hodgers Scherer François 197 SG Wyss Heim Rime André ZH Reymond 154 39 10 THE UNITED FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OR Ulrich Fabio Rudolf Schlüer FR Joder SH Pedrina BE 167 ZG GE Daniel 78 180 Oskar GE Brélaz Freysinger BE ZH 18 Daniel Jositsch VD 38 BS 45 FR 7 Jean-Pierre 91 108 Margret Roland F. Natalie Graber Borer Claude Hans-Jürg Kiener 98 Fehr Jean-Henri Nellen Simone BE Rickli Dunant Hêche BL 192 Maria 187 Roth- Yvan 101 Perrin Caspar Bernasconi Baader BE AG VD ZH SO 169 BS Christian 97 112 Elmar Silvia van Singer Bigger Schenker TI 88 Marie- Anne Thérèse Weber-Gobet NE BL 104 Seydoux-Christe Eric Nussbaumer 73 Pirmin Schwander 113 Toni 136 Brunner Max Chopart- ZH 164 Acklin SO Ada 63 199 Dominique Marra Felix Baettig VD Müri SG 153 Marina Carobbio Guscetti BE 160 Jean-Pierre Grin SZ VD SG LU Schibli Ernst 9 13 JU Jacqueline 95 Brigit Fehr Wyss GE 175 Josef Zisyadis 30 VD 46 Ricardo Lumengo Number of voting papers distributed: 246 Aebi Geissbühler Martina Andreas Andrea 37 35 Bäni 163 Josiane Aubert Flückiger VS Sylvia 129 LU ZH Mörgeli 193 Christoph Carlo Sommaruga 6 GE BE Zufferey BE Glauser- Schelbert Alice Rossini BE Stéphane Louis 182 159 69 AG FR Rielle Jean-Charles 191 ZH Föhn Zuppiger Bruno Peter 12 Kauf 72 Daguet Hans André 44 5 FR NE VD S Steiert François Jean- v ian t 85 mann Erich d r erat iebenthal ude on 41 JU Stahl Jürg BS Berb 11 Levra ZH Didie Christ 84 185 SZ SG TG SO