Freedom House Rating: Free
Government Type: Federal Republic (formally a confederation)
Population: 8.3 million (total for Switzerland), 159,000 (canton of Schwyz)
In Switzerland’s October 2019 federal elections, the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party won the most seats, but did not replicate its 2015 landslide. The the government is an ideologically-diverse coalition of the four largest parties in parliament.
However, Switzerland’s parliament and other government bodies do not have ultimate power to enact policy – that power lies with the people, exercised four times per year in referendums that feature a range of federal and local policy matters.
In these elections, voters will elect members of the Kantonsrat (the cantonal legislature), as well as local offices.
The predominately German-speaking Schwyz is home to the Swiss Army knife, made in the town of Ibach.
The first round of the cantonal elections took place as scheduled despite COVID-19. The second round, as well as the municipal elections, will be conducted entirely by postal ballot.
Photo: The Schwyz Rathaus (town hall), also the meeting place of the Kantonsrat (cantonal legislature).
Photo credit: Wikimedia/Pakeha (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://bit.ly/32dLWJ0
Updated February 20, 2020
Switzerland
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Posted: October 12, 2020 by 21votes
Switzerland
Government Type: Federal Republic (formally a confederation)
Population: 8.3 million ( total for Switzerland), 55,000 (canton of Basel-Landschaft)
In Switzerland’s October 2019 federal elections, the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party won the most seats, but did not replicate its 2015 landslide. The the government is an ideologically-diverse coalition of the four largest parties in parliament.
However, Switzerland’s parliament and other government bodies do not have ultimate power to enact policy – that power lies with the people, exercised four times per year in referendums that feature a range of federal and local policy matters.
In these elections, voters will elect local officials.
Photo: The old city hall in Liestal, the canton’s capital.
Photo credit: Wikipedia/ Ikiwaner (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://bit.ly/2Vo4aWI
Government Type: Federal Republic (formally a confederation)
Population: 8.3 million (total for Switzerland), 159,000 (canton of Schwyz)
In Switzerland’s October 2019 federal elections, the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party won the most seats, but did not replicate its 2015 landslide. The the government is an ideologically-diverse coalition of the four largest parties in parliament.
However, Switzerland’s parliament and other government bodies do not have ultimate power to enact policy – that power lies with the people, exercised four times per year in referendums that feature a range of federal and local policy matters.
In these elections, voters will elect members of the Kantonsrat (the cantonal legislature), as well as local offices.
The predominately German-speaking Schwyz is home to the Swiss Army knife, made in the town of Ibach.
The first round of the cantonal elections took place as scheduled despite COVID-19. The second round, as well as the municipal elections, will be conducted entirely by postal ballot.
Photo: The Schwyz Rathaus (town hall), also the meeting place of the Kantonsrat (cantonal legislature).
Photo credit: Wikimedia/Pakeha (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://bit.ly/32dLWJ0
Updated February 20, 2020
Government Type: Federal Republic (formally a confederation)
Population: 8.3 million (total for Switzerland), 16,105 (canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden)
In Switzerland’s October 2019 federal elections, the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party won the most seats, but did not replicate its 2015 landslide. The the government is an ideologically-diverse coalition of the four largest parties in parliament.
However, Switzerland’s parliament and other government bodies do not have ultimate power to enact policy – that power lies with the people, exercised four times per year in referendums that feature a range of federal and local policy matters.
Although women have been able to vote in Swiss federal elections since 1971, Appenzell Innerrhoden prevented women from voting on local issues until 1991. However, Appenzell Innerrhoden is one of only two cantons that still practices the Landsgemeinde, an annual meeting in which voters decide policy directly (similar to a New England-style town meeting). Because it can become unwieldy, the Landsgemeinde has been abolished in all Swiss cantons except for Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Glarus.
Photo: Voters in a Appenzell Innerrhoden Landsgemeinde.
Photo credit: Wikimedia/ Wihler (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://bit.ly/2SIB16R
Photo credit:
Government Type: Federal Republic (formally a confederation)
Population: 8.3 million ( total for Switzerland), 55,000 (canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden)
In Switzerland’s October 2019 federal elections, the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party won the most seats, but did not replicate its 2015 landslide. The the government is an ideologically-diverse coalition of the four largest parties in parliament.
However, Switzerland’s parliament and other government bodies do not have ultimate power to enact policy – that power lies with the people, exercised four times per year in referendums that feature a range of federal and local policy matters.
In these elections, voters will elect members of the Kantonsrat (the cantonal legislature), as well as local offices.
Photo: Herisau, the seat of Appenzell Ausserrhoden’s cantonal government and parliament.
Photo credit: Wikimedia/ Roland Zumbuehl (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://bit.ly/38OEQ09
Updated February 19, 2020
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