Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

The Swiss Political System

Seraina R uegger1

May 23, 2013

ruegger@icr.gess.ethz.ch
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Seraina R uegger The Swiss Political System

Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Overview

1. Introduction: Switzerland 2. Federalism 3. Direct Democracy 4. Political Parties in Switzerland

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Kantone und Sprachregionen der Schweiz Les cantons et les rgions linguistiques de la Suisse
Sprachregionen Rgions linguistiques
Deutsch Allemand Franzsisch Franais Italienisch Italien Rtoromanisch Romanche JU SO BL AG BS SH TG

deutsch allemand
ZH SG

AR

AI

LU NE BE OW NW

ZG SZ

GL

d./a. deutsch allemand

GR UR

FR VD

rtoromanisch romanche deutsch allemand

d./a.

rtoromanisch romanche r.

GE VS

d./a.

TI

25

50 km

Bundesamt fr Statistik / Office fdral de la statistique, ThemaKart, Neuchtel 2002 / K00.13

Quelle: Eidgenssische Volkszhlung 1990, BFS Source: Recensement fdral de la population 1990, OFS

Thematische Karten
BFS OFS UST

Cartes thmatiques

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Facts: Switzerland

. 4 regionally concentrated ethnic groups:

German-speaking (65.6%) French-speaking (22.8%), Italian-speaking (8.4%), Rumansh-speaking (0.6%)

. Population = 8 million, 20% foreigners . GDPpc = $45417, average monthly salary = $5600

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Separation of Powers
. Executive branch: Federal Council
7 members (ministers), collective Head of State elected by National Assembly (legislative branch) President of the Confederation elected in rotation for 1-year term, primus inter pares coalition of 4 major parties (2 SPS, 2 FDP, 2 SVP, 1 CVP)
Magic formula 2:2:2:1

informally consociational Constitutional convention: principle of collegiality

the Councillors are not supposed to publicly criticize one another, even against their own personal opinion or that of their political party

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

The Swiss Federal Council

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Separation of Powers
. Legislative branch: Parliament
2 houses: National Council
200 members elected under proportional representation, depending on the population of each canton

Council of States
46 representatives (2 from each canton and 1 from each half-canton) majority vote

4 year terms

. Judicative branch
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Swiss Federalism
. Sub-national administrative units: 23 cantons, 6 half-cantons . bottom-up . Cantons have own political structures (executive, legislative, judicative) . Task sharing:
federal administration
federal law, foreign policy, civil & criminal law, monetary policy, army etc.

cantonal administration
direct taxes, police, education, public health, welfare etc.

. 3 legal jurisdictional levels: commune, canton, federation

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

The Swiss Cantons

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Direct Democracy

Civic rights at federal level: . Referendum

overturn parliamentary decision 50000 signatures against law within 100 days national vote with simple majority decision

. Constitutional Referendum
parliament proposes a constitutional modication national vote with double majority decision (national majority + majority of cantonal votes)

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Direct Democracy

Civic rights at federal level: . Initiative

constitutional amendment 100000 signatures for proposed amendment within 18 months parliament can suggest counter-proposal national vote with double majority decision (national majority + majority of cantonal votes) 183 initiatives since 1891, 20 successful

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Examples of recent Popular Initiatives

2002 UN-membership, yes 54,6% (1986: no 75,7%) 2009 Against the construction of minarets, yes 57.5% 2012 6 weeks vacations, yes 33,5% 2013 Against rip-o salaries, yes 67.9% 9.6.2013 Direct election of Federal Council

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

The Voting Process

. approximately 4 times per year (voting over referendums and initiatives, elections) . paper ballot
polling booths over weekend, by mail (majority), via internet (new) manually counted

. communal, cantonal and federal issues polled simultaneously . voter turnout usually below 50% Interesting : Federal level: womens surage since 1971 Canton Appenzell-Innerrhoden: since 1990
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Special Case: Die Landsgemeinde

. Cantonal assembly in Glarus and Appenzell-Innerrhoden . Gathering of all eligible citizens of the canton on a certain day in the year in the open air . Hand vote over constitutional amendments, laws and bigger expenditures Most simple form of direct democracy . Critique:
no secret vote logistical problems no precise count of votes

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Special Case: Die Landsgemeinde

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Political Parties
Swiss Peoples Party Social Democratic Party FDP.The Liberals Christian Democratic Peoples Party Green Party Conservative Democratic Party Green Liberal Party Evangelical Peoples Party Ticino League Geneva Citizens Movement Christian Social Party
Seraina R uegger The Swiss Political System

with seats in the National Assembly (2011)

SVP/UDC SPS/PSS FDP/PLR CVP/PDC Right-wing Left-wing Centre-right Centre National conservatism Social democracy Classical liberalism Christian democracy 26.6% 18.7% 15.1% 12.3% 54 46 30 28

GPS/PES BDP/PBD GLP/PVL EVP/PEV LdT MCG CSP/PCS

Left-wing Centre-right Centre Centre Right-wing Right-wing Left-wing

Green politics Conservatism / economic liberalism Green liberalism Christian democracy Regionalism / Right-wing populism Regionalism / Right-wing populism Christian left

8.4% 5.4% 5.4% 2.0% 0.8% 0.4% 0.3%

15 9 12 2 2 1 1

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Social Democratic Party

. Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz / Parti socialiste suisse/ Partito Socialista Svizzero . Founded: 1888 . President: Christian Levrat . 18.7% . 2 Federal Councillors (Alain Berset, Simonetta Sommaruga) . Ideology: social-democratic
strong state and public service against economic liberalization social progressivism environmental protection pacism open foreign-policy, EU-membership
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

FDP.The Liberals
. FDP.Die Liberalen / PLR.Les Lib eraux-Radicaux / PLR.I Liberali . Founded: 2009 (FDP 1894) . President: Philipp M uller . 15.1% . 2 Federal Councillors (Didier Burkhalter, Johann Schneider-Ammann) . Ideology: liberalism
economic freedom low taxes civil liberties cooperation with the EU through bilateral treaties
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Christian Democratic Peoples Party

. Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz / Parti d emocrate-chr etien / Partito popolare democratico svizzero . Founded: 1912 . President: Christophe Darbellay . 12.3% . 1 Federal Councillor (Doris Leuthard) . Ideology: christian democratic
social market economy social security (moderate) social conservatism
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Swiss Peoples Party

. Schweizerische Volkspartei / Union d emocratique du centre / Unione Democratica del Centro . Founded: 1971 . President: Toni Brunner . 26.6% . 1 Federal Councillor (Ueli Maurer) . Ideology: national conservative, right-wing populist
conservative society, no welfare-state supply-side economics strict neutrality, euroscepticism opposition to immigration, stricter asylum laws no governmental measures for environmental protection strong role of Swiss army
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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Conservative Democratic Party

. B urgerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz / Parti bourgeois d emocratique Suisse / Partito borghese democratico Svizzera . Founded: 2008 . President: Martin Landolt . 5.4% . 1 Federal Councillor (Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf) . moderate splinter group from Swiss Peoples Party . Ideology: conservative

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Swiss Parties on the Political Landscape

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Political Parties in Switzerland

. heterogeneous multi-party system . 4-5 big parties with representatives at federal, cantonal and communal level . federalism many small parties with focus on cantonal or communal level . share of votes for main political ideologies: 2/3 liberal and conservative parties, 1/3 left parties . cross-cutting cleavages no ethnic parties . recently: rise of green parties

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Party Financing in Switzerland

. Dierence to many other countries: No party nance regulations . No federal law on private funding of parties and campaigns very intransparent . Law on parliamentary resources
support of members of federal councils and fractions: Sfr. 94500 per fraction + 17500 per member

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Party Financing in Switzerland

. According to their statutes parties use the following sources:
memberfees donations earnings from the selling of products and services contributions from the fraction contributions from parliamentarians and judges

. Many Swiss enterprises support political parties

Usually without publishing the criteria 2012, bank Credit Suisse supported parties according to their parliamentary mandates with 1m each 2012, bank UBS supports only economically liberal parties with 1m each

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Party Financing in Switzerland: Annual Budget of the Swiss Peoples Party

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Party Financing in Switzerland: Annual Budget of the Social Democratic Party of Z urich

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Overview

Introduction: Switzerland

Federalism

Direct Democracy

Political Parties in Switzerland

Questions?

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