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Zurich Citizenship Test: Democracy and Federalism

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What this area covers

Democracy and federalism is the largest of the five areas of the Zurich question catalogue. It asks how Switzerland is governed: the constitution and its principles, fundamental rights, the three powers at federal level, popular rights and elections, and how tasks are shared between the Confederation, the cantons and the communes. The cantonal and communal questions of this area are on the page Canton and communes of Zurich.

Below are the facts you should know, in our own words. We do not reproduce the canton’s questions.

The state and its principles

  • Switzerland’s official name is the Swiss Confederation (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft). Its Latin name, Confoederatio Helvetica, gives the abbreviation CH.
  • Switzerland is a democracy. Its basic law is the Federal Constitution (Bundesverfassung).
  • Rule of law means that the state, too, is bound by the law. Nobody may be arrested without a legal reason, and nobody may take revenge privately: punishing offences is the state’s job.
  • Only the state, for example the police and the army, may use force.
  • Separation of powers: the legislative (Parliament), the executive (government) and the judiciary (courts) share state power and check each other. The media are often called the fourth power.

Fundamental rights

The Federal Constitution protects, among others:

  • equality before the law and the ban on discrimination, for example because of origin, sex or skin colour,
  • freedom of religion and conscience: everyone may choose a religion, practise it or have none,
  • freedom of opinion and information,
  • protection of private property and of privacy, including personal data,
  • the ban on torture and on the death penalty.

Spreading false claims about other people, or publicly insulting people because of their origin or religion, is against the law.

Parliament

  • The federal parliament, the Federal Assembly, has two chambers: the National Council (Nationalrat, 200 members, representing the people) and the Council of States (Ständerat, representing the cantons).
  • Its main task is to debate and pass laws. It meets in the Federal Palace in Bern.
  • The voters elect Parliament every four years.
  • When both chambers sit together, they form the United Federal Assembly. It elects the Federal Council and the judges of the Federal Supreme Court.

Government and courts

  • The Federal Council is the Swiss government and holds executive power. It has seven members, elected by the United Federal Assembly. Each heads a department, for example the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
  • Under the collegiality principle, Federal Council members defend the council’s decisions together in public, even if they argued against them inside.
  • The Federal Chancellery is the Federal Council’s staff office.
  • The highest court is the Federal Supreme Court. Judges decide cases; the police investigate offences and may arrest suspects.
  • Important federal laws include the Civil Code (for example marriage and divorce), the Code of Obligations (for example rental and employment contracts) and the Criminal Code.
  • Popular initiative: with 100,000 signatures collected within 18 months, voters can propose a change to the Federal Constitution. It is accepted only with a majority of the people and a majority of the cantons (Ständemehr).
  • Optional referendum: with 50,000 signatures collected within 100 days, voters can demand a popular vote on a law that Parliament has passed, and so block it.
  • Mandatory referendum: every amendment to the Federal Constitution goes to a vote of the people and the cantons.
  • Federal votes usually take place four times a year, always on a Sunday. Most people vote by post.

Elections and parties

  • At federal level, Swiss citizens may vote and stand for election from their 18th birthday. Foreign nationals have no vote at federal level.
  • Swiss citizens abroad can vote and elect from their country of residence.
  • Active suffrage is the right to vote and elect; anyone of age with Swiss citizenship can also be elected to federal office.
  • Parties bring together people with similar political goals and represent different interests of the population.

Federalism

  • Switzerland has three levels: the Confederation at the top, the 26 cantons in the middle and the communes at the bottom. Six cantons, formerly called half-cantons, have one seat in the Council of States instead of two.
  • The catalogue gives about 2,200 political communes for 2021.
  • The Confederation is responsible for, among other things, foreign policy, the army, customs, money and currency, social insurance and protection of the environment.
  • The cantons have their own constitutions, laws, parliaments and governments.

How to study this area

Learn the bodies in pairs: who makes laws, who governs, who judges, and who elects whom. Then learn the numbers that come up again and again: seven Federal Councillors, two chambers, four years, 100,000 signatures, four voting dates a year.

Next step

Practise this area with the free questions. The other areas: Social state and civil society, History, Geography, Culture and everyday culture. Format and registration: Knowledge test.