At Stake in this Election:  

Switzerland is holding popular votes on four issues: the expansion of several national highways, requiring tenants get landlord consent to sublet, making it easier for landlords to reoccupy or utilize rented space for their own needs, and reducing Canton funding of inpatient medical treatment from at least 55% to 26.9% of treatment costs. 

Government Structure:  

• Chief of State: President of the Swiss Confederation Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024) 

• Head of Government: President of the Swiss Confederation Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024) 

• Assembly: bicameral Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung, Assemblée Fédérale, or Assemblea Federale) with 46 seat Council of States (Ständerat, Conseil des États, or Consiglio degli Stati) and 200 seat National Council (Nationalrat, Conseil National, or Consiglio Nazionale) 

Electoral System:  

• The President is indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council, a cabinet indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly. The President serves a 1-year term, non-consecutively renewable.  

• All 46 members of the Council of States are elected in 1 or 2 seat constituencies. 42 of 46 are elected by simple plurality vote. The remaining 4 are elected by list proportional representation. The method of election is set by each canton. All members are elected to 4-year terms.  

• 194 of the 200 members in the National Council are elected by proportional representation vote. The remaining 6 members are elected by simple plurality vote. All members are elected to 4-year terms.  

Last Election:  

In the last referendum in September 2024, Switzerland voted on two initiatives, one focused on biodiversity and another on pension system reforms. Both initiatives failed, with 63% and 67% voting against, respectively. Voter turnout was 45%.  

Information for Voters: 

Votation populaire du 24 novembre 2024 / Popular vote on 24 November 2024 (in French, English, Romansh, and German) 

Key Deadlines:   

• Voter registration deadline: Not applicable, voter registration is passive.  

Population and Registered Voters: 

• Population: 8,849,852 (2023 est.) 

• Registered Voters: 5,599,464 (2024) 

Gender Data: 

• Female Population: 4,452,743 (2023 est.) 

• CEDAW Status: Signed 17 Jul 1980, Ratified 14 Dec 1983 

• Gender Quota: No 

• Number of Female Legislators (pre-election): 16 of 46 (35%) in the Council of States and 77 of 200 (39%) in the National Council.   

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 0.967, Very High, rank 1 (2022) 

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: 9.9 (2023) 

Disability Data: 

• CRPD Status: Acceded 15 Apr 2014 

• Projected population with a disability: 1,415,976 (2023 est.) 

IFES Resources: 

• Does IFES have a presence in Switzerland: No 

• Election Access: Yes  

• ElectionJudgments: Yes, 2 judgements