The Federal Multilingual State

14 April 2019

Switzerland is the second-oldest federal state after the United States of America. The federal constitution of 1848 was closely modelled on that of the USA (written in 1787). The cantons delegated some of their sovereignty to the federal level in 1848.

The cantons

Most cantons have a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages. The canton of Jura (1979) is a twentieth-century creation, following a long historical path from the Prince-Bishopric of Basel (until 1792-1798), the Napoleonic era (1798-1813), and the canton of Bern (1815-1979).

The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons. The cantons of Geneva (Genève), Vaud, Jura and Neuchâtel (Neuenburg) are French-speaking, Valais (Wallis), Berne (Bern) and Fribourg (Freiburg) are bilingual, Ticino is Italian-speaking, Graubünden (Grisons) is trilingual (German-Romansh-Italian), and Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Zürich, Schaffhausen, Thurgau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden, Sankt-Gallen, Nidwalden, Uri, Glarus, Solothurn, Lucerne, Obwalden, Züg, Schwyz are German-speaking.

There are six demi-cantons: Obwalden and Nidwalden, Protestant Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Catholic Appenzell Innerrhoden (since 1597), and Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft (since 1833). The demi-cantons have only one seat in the Council of States instead of two.

The 26 cantons have a high degree of independence. Each canton has its constitution, parliament/assembly of citizens, government, and courts.

Around 2,200 communes exist at the local level. The cantons determine the level of autonomy, which varies from commune to commune.

Subsidiarity, Direct Democracy and the Federal Level

How do you rule such a divided country? The secret is not just the four-yearly direct election of the 200 members of the National Council (Nationalrat) and the 46 members of the Council of States (Ständerat).

The answer entails decentralisation, direct democracy, constitutional recognition of languages and cultures and transparent public discussions encouraged by grass-roots referendums and popular initiatives.

This concept fosters good governance and citizen engagement. However, it is not the only reason for its democratic and multicultural success.

Switzerland is a small country with approximately 8.4 million inhabitants (about 20% are foreigners). It has an excellent education system, a well-developed civil society and legal system, a broad range of media services, a longstanding democratic tradition, the absence of a dominant central political power, and a robust social, monetary, and economic system.

As history shows, the country is neither immune to nor excluded from (global and European) challenges. Still, the citizens are always there to check and double-check the federal, cantonal, and local rulers and their follies, corruption, and clientele systems.

(Source: The Swiss Confederation. A Brief Guide. Bern 2021).