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Direct Democracy in Switzerland - Coggle Diagram
Direct Democracy in Switzerland
Principals
all citizens 18 and above take part in decision making
minorities receive strong respect
women were not given the vote until 1971
how does it function?
In canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, the People’s Assembly people still chooses its representative in the Council of States by a show of hands
the government/Federal Council is the executive power
It consists of seven Federal Councilors from several Swiss political parties, which are elected by the Federal Assembly every four years and share the duties of a head of state, the federal councilors rotate and every year one takes on the role of president.
The Federal Council decides a couple of months in advance which proposals will be voted on and releases the dates of the votes even earlier.
history
During the Renaissance, humanists striving for freedom from Rome offered different interpretations to religion that were closer to the needs of people and political independence.
Centuries later, Friedrich Schiller celebrated the fight for Swiss independence from foreign occupiers in his masterpiece William Tell, which underpins a bottom-up democracy.
Switzerland’s Federal Constitution was completely changed in 1874. The importance of the cantons was lessened in favour of the country’s central administration.
People moving between cantons were given full voting rights after three months
was beneficial to those moving from rural areas to big cities at the time, and referendums at a federal level were introduced
Instruments of direct democracy
A vote must be held on any amendment to the constitution resulting in a mandatory referendum.
There are three instruments of direct democracy; mandatory, popular initiative and optional
Citizens can launch a popular initiative to demand a change to the constitution.
Any Swiss citizen who is eligible to vote can sign a popular initiative and a group of at least seven citizen can launch their own popular initiative.
The Federal Council and Parliament will recommend whether the proposal should be accepted or rejected.
Citizen's power
citizens can call for a referendum on new laws and against certain international treaties
The new law comes into force if a majority of those voting say yes. If the majority vote no, the current law continues to apply.