IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Switzerland

Swiss Confederation

8,775,760	56
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)	Elections in our database
5,583,221	46.40%
Registered Voters (as of Oct. 22, 2023)	Average Turnout

Name	Official Name	Type
Swiss Council of States	Standerat/Conseil des Etats/ Consiglio degli Stati	Upper House
Swiss National Council	Nationalrat/Conseil National/Consiglio Nazionale	Lower House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024)
Head of Government: President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024)
Assembly: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung) with a 46-seat Council of States (Ständerat) and a 200-seat National Council (Nationalrat)

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected from among the Federal Council by vote of the Federal Assembly. The President serves 1-year, non-consecutive terms.
The Federal Council is indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly, and members serve 4-year terms.
In the Council of States, 42 members are directly elected by absolute majority vote, and 4 members (from Jura and Neuchatel cantons) are directly elected by list proportional representation vote. Member term lengths vary by constituency (canton).
In the National Council, 194 members are directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 6 are directly elected by plurality vote. All members serve 4-year terms.

Elections

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turn Out
Swiss Council of States	1999-10-24	-	4,620,850	-
Swiss National Council	1999-10-24	-	4,620,850	-
Referendum	2000-09-24	-	4,626,215	-
Referendum	2002-03-03	2,726,787	4,700,000	58.02
Referendum	2002-06-02	1,978,123	4,731,017	41.81
Referendum	2002-09-22	2,143,027	4,743,888	45.17
Referendum	2003-05-18	-	4,700,000	-
Swiss National Council	2003-10-19	2,161,921	4,757,478	45.44
Referendum	2004-05-16	2,439,677	4,789,871	50.93
Referendum	2004-09-26	-	4,789,073	-
Referendum	2004-11-28	-	4,789,073	-
Referendum	2005-06-05	-	4,798,073	-
Referendum	2005-09-25	-	4,798,073	-
Swiss Council of States	2007-10-21	2,396,767	4,891,363	49.0
Swiss National Council	2007-10-21	2,396,767	4,915,623	48.76
Referendum	2009-02-08	2,572,040	4,891,363	52.58
Referendum	2009-05-17	1,915,746	4,891,363	39.17
Referendum	2009-09-27	2,063,128	5,030,915	41.01
Referendum	2009-11-29	2,669,162	5,030,915	53.06
Referendum	2010-03-07	2,276,233	5,030,915	45.24
Referendum	2011-02-13	2,478,967	5,030,915	49.27
Swiss National Council	2011-10-23	2,485,403	5,124,034	48.5
Swiss Council of States	2011-10-23	2,485,403	5,124,034	48.5
Referendum	2012-03-11	2,334,005	5,139,055	45.42
Referendum	2012-09-23	2,178,834	5,120,379	42.55
Referendum	2013-03-03	2,377,993	5,139,055	46.27
Referendum	2013-06-09	2,030,193	5,166,973	39.29
Referendum	2013-09-22	2,407,169	5,166,973	46.59
Referendum	2013-11-24	2,752,265	5,166,973	53.27
Referendum	2014-02-09	2,908,382	5,166,973	56.29
Referendum	2014-05-18	2,896,075	5,212,154	55.56
Referendum	2014-09-28	2,444,877	5,212,154	46.91
Referendum	2014-11-30	2,580,903	5,212,154	49.52
Referendum	2015-03-08	2,210,891	5,254,965	42.07
Referendum	2015-06-14	2,301,320	5,254,965	43.79
Swiss Council of States	2015-10-18	2,563,052	5,295,506	48.4
Swiss National Council	2015-10-18	2,563,052	5,295,506	48.4
Referendum	2016-02-28	3,342,034	5,295,506	63.11
Referendum	2016-06-05	2,465,868	5,325,848	46.3
Referendum	2016-09-25	2,269,020	5,325,848	42.6
Referendum	2016-11-27	2,399,984	5,325,848	45.06
Referendum	2017-02-12	2,482,448	5,325,848	46.61
Referendum	2017-05-21	2,297,296	5,356,538	42.89
Referendum	2017-09-24	2,546,386	5,372,748	47.39
Referendum	2018-03-04	2,904,047	5,391,090	53.87
Referendum	2018-06-10	1,325,982	5,391,090	24.6
Referendum	2018-09-23	2,004,433	5,391,090	37.18
Referendum	2018-11-25	2,585,802	5,391,090	47.96
Referendum	2019-02-10	2,028,734	5,428,531	37.37
Referendum	2019-05-19	2,356,013	5,391,090	43.7
Swiss National Council	2019-10-20	2,462,581	5,460,268	45.1
Swiss Council of States	2019-10-20	2,462,581	5,460,268	45.1
Referendum	2022-02-13	2,420,125	5,488,371	44.1
Referendum	2022-05-15	2,191,383	5,488,371	39.93
Swiss Council of States	2023-10-22	2,604,984	5,583,221	46.66
Swiss National Council	2023-10-22	2,604,931	5,583,221	46.66

Voter Turnout

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