IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Switzerland

Country Profile:

Upcoming Elections

Parliamentary
October 2011

Switzerland
Swiss Confederation
Region: Europe

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ *
Head of Government: President Hans-Rudolf MERZ
Assembly: Switzerland has a bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung/Assemblée Fédérale/Assemblea Federale) consisting of the Council of States (Standerat/Conseil des Etats/ Consiglio degli Stati) with 46 seats and the National Council (Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale) with 200 seats.

* The Federal Presidency rotates among members of the Federal Council, which is the formal chief of state.

Description of electoral system:

The President is appointed by parliament to serve a 1-year term.
In the Council of States (Standerat/Conseil des Etats/ Consiglio degli Stati), 6 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 20 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms*. In the National Council (Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale), 195 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms and 5 members are elected by a plurality system to serve 4-year terms.**

* Single-member districts correspond to half-cantons. The electoral system is first-past-the-post. Two-seat districts correspond to full cantons. The electoral system is MNTV.

** Seats are apportioned to each canton or half-canton in proportion to its population. Voters have the option of panachage. In single-member districts, this is effectively a first-past-the-post system.