Federalism and Legal Unification in Switzerland

Ritaine, Eleanor Cashin; Papeil, Anne-Sophie

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7398-1_17

Eleanor Cashin Ritaine⁵ &
Anne-Sophie Papeil⁶

Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 28))

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2 Citations

Abstract

The Swiss Confederation is unusual in that its component states were not formed through the decentralization of a larger entity. Instead, the Confederation is composed of Cantons that were independent, sovereign states before they joined together in a bottom-up transfer of sovereignty. The country remains diverse, and its people are united by political rather than linguistic, cultural or religious consensus. This dynamic continues to animate the allocation of authority in the Confederation.

The Swiss Constitution recognizes federal actors on three levels: the central Confederation, 26 states known as Cantons, and municipalities called Communes. The Swiss legal system is not centralized. While the federal government holds significant legislative power, the Cantons retain considerable autonomy, particularly in areas such as education, language, culture, and the relationship between church and state. The Cantons are often charged with implementing Confederation law, and may do so in ways that vary between Cantons. Nonetheless, while it is not centralized, Swiss law is relatively unified due to cooperation between Cantons and the influence of federal and international law.

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Notes

1.
Pacte fédéral (August 1st 1291) uniting the Cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Nidwald to be found at: Quellenwerk zur Entstehung der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft Abt. 1, Urkunden Bd., 1 Aarau 1933 and http://www.admin.ch/org/polit/00056/index.html?lang=fr (last visited on 06.03.09).
2.
Mediationsakte 19 February 1803, “Act of Mediation” by Napoleon Bonaparte, see J. Biedermann, “Chartes, pactes et traités de la Suisse”, Lausanne 1915.
3.
«Acte de reconnaissance et garantie de la neutralité perpétuelle de la Suisse et de l’inviolabilité de son territoire» drafted by Charles Pictet de Rochemont (November 20th, 1815), CPJI, série C, n. 17–1, vol. II, 1929, pp. 1190ss.
4.
Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation of 18 April 1999 (RO 1999 2556, modified as of 16 December 2005 FF 2005 6793).
5.
The Oxford English Dictionary, vol. II-C, Oxford reprinted 1978. “A permanent union of sovereign States for common action in relation to externals”.
6.
T. Fleiner, “Switzerland: Constitution of the Federal State and the Cantons”, in Lidija R. Basta Fleiner/T. Fleiner (eds.), Federalism and Multiethnic States, The Case of Switzerland, 2^e ed., Bâle/Genève/Munich 2000, p. 103.
7.
A confederation is most likely to feature three differences from a federation: There are no real direct powers of the Confederation in comparison to a federal government: many confederate decisions are only implemented by member-state legislation. Decisions are not taken by simple majority but by special majorities or even by consensus or unanimity (every member has a veto). Changes of the constitution, which usually takes the form of a treaty, require unanimity.
8.
A citizen of each Canton swore on August, 1st 1291 on a small mountain called “Grütli”: “we will be a one and only nation of brothers …” This leads to the term confederation (“Eidgenossenschaft”).
9.
To be complete, the joining of Cantons came in stages: 1291: Uri/Schwyz/unterwalden (split up into: Obwald/Nidwald); 1332: Luzern; 1351: Zurich; 1352: Zug/Glarus; 1481: Freiburg/Solothurn; 1501: Basel (1833 split up into: Basel Stadt/Basel Land)/Schaffenhausen: 1513: Appenzell (1597 split up into: Appenzell Ausserrhoden/Appenzell Innerrhoden); 1803: Sankt-Gallen/Aargau/Thurgau/Ticino/Vaud; 1815: Valais/Neuchâtel/Genève; 1979: Jura.
10.
Schweizer in, St. Galler Kommentar zu Art. 3 BV, Rz. 7, Schulthess 2008.
11.
T. Fleiner-Gerster, “Problèmes de la souveraineté intérieure et extérieure”, in T. Fleiner-Gerster/S. Hutter (eds.), Federalism and Decentralization, Fribourg 1987, p. 64; T. Fleiner/A. Misic, “Föderalismus als Ordnungssprizip der Verfassung”, in D. Thürer/J.-F. Aubert/J.-P. Müller (eds.), Verfassungsrecht der Schweiz, Zürich 2001, p. 436.
12.
Comp. “République de Genève”, “Etat de Vaud”, “République de Neuchâtel”… A similar system can be found in Germany: “Freistaat Bayern”, “Freistaat Sachsen-Anhalt”…
13.
Even though the Cantons may, in certain fields, notably in taxation matters, conclude international treaties with neighboring states (Cst., art 56).
14.
The National Council represents the overall population and the Council of States, the member states of the Confederation, i.e. the Cantons.
15.
See the document “legislative power” on the website www.admin.ch (last visited on 06.03.09).
16.
W. Linder, “Swiss Democracy: Possible Solutions to Conflict in Multicultural Societies”, 2nd ed., London/New York 1998, p. 45.
17.
Cst., art. 150 al. 1.
18.
Cst., art. 150 al. 2.
19.
Typically, the law providing national and regional development was initiated in 1972 and entered into force in 1980 (LAT, RS 701). The law on civil liability has been under discussion since 1988.
20.
T. Fleiner/A. Misic/N. Töpperwien, “Swiss Constitutional Law”, The Hague 2005, p. 101; see the figure 3.4 in W. Linder, op. cit. p. 123.
21.
T. Fleiner, “Swiss Confederation”, in R. Blindenbacher/A. Ostien (eds.), Dialogues on Distribution of Powers and Responsibilities in Federal Countries, Global Dialogue on Federalism Booklet Series # 2, Montreal 2005, p. 270.
22.
J. F. Aubert/P. Mahon, “Petit Commentaire de la Constitution fédérale de la Confédération suisse du 18 avril 1999”, Zurich 2003, p. 382.
23.
B. Knapp, “Kompetenzverteilung und Zusammenwirken der Kantone”, in D. Thürer/J.-F. Aubert/J.-P. Müller (eds.), Verfassungsrecht der Schweiz, Zürich 2001, §29, pp. 457–472.
24.
Private economic activity (art. 95); Competition Policy (art. 96); Banking and Insurance (art. 98); Monetary Policy (art. 99); Policy on Economic Development (art. 100); Foreign Trade (art. 101); Gambling (art. 106).
25.
Agriculture (art. 104); Production, importation, refining and sale of Alcohol (art. 105).
26.
Weapons and Military Material (art. 107).
27.
Consumer Protection (art. 97); Promotion of Construction and Ownership of Housing (art. 108); Landlord and Tenant (art. 109); Labour (art. 110); Social Security (art. 111); Old age, Survivors’ and Disability Insurance (art. 112); Employee Pension Plans (art. 113); Unemployment Insurance (art. 114); Family Allocations and Maternity Insurance (art. 116); Health and Accident Insurance (art. 117); Protection of Health (art. 118); Medical Assistance to Procreation and Gene Technology in the Human Field (art. 119); Medical Transplantation (art. 119 a); Gene Technology in the Non-Human Field (art. 120); Residence and Domicile of Foreigners (art. 121).
28.
Transportation of Energy (art. 91); Supply of Essential Goods and Services (art. 102); Weights and Measures (art. 125).
29.
Postal and Telecommunication services (art. 92); Radio and Television (art. 93).
30.
Residence and Domicile of Foreigners (art. 121).
31.
Civil Law and Civil Procedure (art. 122); Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure (art. 123).
32.
The most important legal sources are the Federal Supreme Court Act (LTF 17/06/2005, RS 173.110, RO 2006 1205.), the Federal Criminal Court Act (LTPF 04/10/2002, RS 173.71, RO 2003 2133) and the Federal Administrative Court Act (LTAF 17/06/2005, RS 173.32, RO 2006 2197).
33.
FF 1997 I 253.
34.
Cst., arts. 5, 8, 10 and 16.
35.
Cst., art. 128 and 129.
36.
RS 171.11.
37.
RS 141.0.
38.
RS 171.111.
39.
RS 172.021.
40.
RS 161.1.
41.
RS 172.010.
42.
Cst., art. 47.
43.
Cst. art. 51; see A. Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, “Droit constitutionnel suisse”, vol. 1 “l’Etat”, 2^e ed., Berne 2006, pp. 63–66.
44.
According to the study of the different official cantonal registers, principally BE, FR, VD, NE, GE.
45.
U. Thalmann, “Die Verfassungsrechtliche Stellung der Kantone”, in P. Hänni (éd.), Schweizerischer Föderalismus and europäischer Integration: die Rolle der Kantone in einem sich wandelnden internationalen Kontext, Zurich 2000, p. 85; M. Arefaine, “Federalism and Accommodation of Diversities: With Special Reference to Divided Societies”, Fribourg 2005, p. 163.
46.
U. Thalmann, ibid.
47.
Cst. art. 43.
48.
Cst. art. 49.
49.
“Bundesrecht bricht Kantonales Recht”.
50.
ATF 120 Ia 299.
51.
FF 1997 I 218; ATF 128 II 112.
52.
ATF 117 Ia 221.
53.
G. Zaccaria, “Das Staatsrecht der Schweizerischen Kantone”, Zurich 1979, p. 57.
54.
On the principle of subsidiarity see: U. Thalmann, “Subsdiaritätsprinzip und Kompetenz-Verteilung”, in T. Fleiner/P. Forster/A. Misic/U. Thalmann (eds.), La nouvelle Constitution suisse. Fédéralisme, droits fondamentaux, droit économique et structure de l’Etat, Bâle/Genève/Munich 2000, pp. 149–170; A. Epiney, “Subsidiarität als verfassungsrechtlicher Grundsatz”, in Rapports suisses présentés au XIV ^e Congrès international de droit comparé (Athènes), Zurich 1994, pp. 9–33.
55.
M. Arefaine, “Federalism and Accommodation of Diversities: With Special Reference to Divided Societies”, Fribourg 2005, p. 163. See also Cst., Art. 5a.
56.
U. Thalmann, “Die Verfassungsrechtliche Stellung der Kantone”, op. cit. pp. 73–74.
57.
Art. 11, 131 ss. Laam.
58.
Art. 46 al. 2 LPPCi.
59.
Cst. art. 50 al. 2 et 3.
60.
Cst. art. 50 al. 1.
61.
T. Fleiner/A. Misic/N. Töpperwien, op. cit. p. 137: “It can be said that the more important the Municipalities have been in history of the Canton the more powers they are attributed”.
62.
A. Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. p. 84.
63.
A. Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. pp. 83–84.
64.
ATF 101 Ia 259.
65.
ATF 108 Ia 74; ATF 103 Ia 468.
66.
Cst. art. 140 al. 1 let. A; Cst. art. 142 al. 2; Cst. art. 195.
67.
See the Explanatory Report “Message” 21/12/2005, FF 2006 1057.
68.
Ibid.
69.
U. Thalmann, “Subsidiaritätsprinzip und Kompetenzverteilung”, op. cit. pp. 165–166; R. J. Schweizer, “Die neue Bundesverfassung: die revidierte bundesstaatliche Verfassungsordnung”, PJA 1999, p. 672.
70.
See on www.admin.ch (last visited 6.3.09): the statements of commissioners and representative of the government, PV 4687–4688 (commission of the Council of States) and 1386–1388 (commission of the National Council).
71.
Cst. article 74 al. 3.
72.
Cst. art. 80 al. 3.
73.
Cst. art. 83.
74.
Cst., art. 147.
75.
N. Schmitt, “Swiss Confederation”, in J. Kincaid/G. A. Tarr (eds.), Constitutional Origins, Structure, and Change in Federal Countries, Global Dialogue on Federalism, Series number 1, Montreal 2005, p. 358.
76.
See Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. pp. 565–580.
77.
Cst., art. 48.
78.
See the website of the Conference: http://www.edk.ch (last visited 6.3.09).
79.
http://www.cus.ch/wFranzoesisch/index.php (last visited 6.3.09).
80.
Art.7 LCCA 23/06/2003 Professional requirements: 1 To be inscribed in the register, the lawyer must be in possession of a lawyer’s license that has been granted on the basis of the following conditions: a. course of studies in law leading to a graduate degree awarded by a Swiss university or to an equivalent diploma awarded by a university from one of the States that has concluded an agreement of reciprocal recognition with Switzerland; b. at least one year of practical experience in Switzerland that has been concluded with an examination of juridical knowledge in theory and in practice. 2 Cantons in which Italian is the official language may recognise a foreign diploma, acquired in the Italian language that is equivalent to a graduate degree.
81.
Art 8 LCAA 23/06/2003 Personal qualifications: 1 To be inscribed in the register, lawyers must fulfil the following personal qualifications: a. they must have the capacity to act; b. there can be no criminal conviction against them for acts that are incompatible with the legal profession and that have not yet been deleted from the register of convictions; c. there can be no deeds of loss; d. they must be capable of practising law independently; they may be employed only by persons who themselves are inscribed in one of the cantonal registers of lawyers. 2 Lawyers who are employed by recognised charitable organisations can be registered as long as conditions, according to paragraph 1, letters a-c, have been fulfilled and their representation of parties is strictly limited to mandates within the context of the purpose as defined by the organisation concerned.
82.
Loi fédérale sur la libre circulation des avocats (Loi sur les avocats, LLCA) of 23rd June 2000.
83.
ATF 127 II 177; ATF 120 Ib 360.
84.
YCA 2004 pp. 447ss; ASA, spec. Series, n°22, pp. 131ss; www.swissarbitration.ch (visited 6.3.09).
85.
Cst., art. 189 al. 4.
86.
Except the social division which is in Lucerne, but this division is integrated to the Federal Supreme Court.
87.
O. SIGG, “Switzerland’s Political Institutions”, English translation F. M. Blackwell/D. N. Roscoe/M. Mettler, Zurich 1991, p. 34.
88.
A. Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. pp. 685–791.
89.
The Federal Supreme Court is willing to verify the harmony of federal law with the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Moreover, in the case of a conflict between federal law and the ECHR, the Federal Supreme Court has refused to apply federal laws that violate the ECHR in some recent cases, on the condition that the parliament did not wilfully legislate against international law.
90.
Federal Tribunal Act of 17 June 2005, RS 173.110.
91.
Cst., Art. 46 al. 1: “The Cantons shall implement federal law in conformity with the Constitution and the statute”.
92.
Cst., Art. 46 al. 2.
93.
For details on the executive power, see the document of executive power on www.admin.ch (last visited 6.03.09); Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. pp. 49–56.
94.
Cst., art. 134.
95.
N. Schmitt, “Switzerland”, in J. Kramer/H.-P. Schneider (eds.), Federalism and Civil Societies: An International Symposium, Föderalismus-Studien, vol.14, Baden-Baden 1999, p. 335.
96.
N. Schmitt, ibid.
97.
U. Im Hof, “Die historische Dimension der nationalen Identität”, National Forschungsprogamm 21, Kulturelle Vielfalt und nationale Identität, Bâle 1991, p. 14.
98.
B. Ruckstuhl, “Die Schweiz, ein Land der Bauern und Hirten”, in S. Ferrari/ D. Siegrist, Aus wen schoss Wilhelm Tell? Beiträge zu einer Ideologiegeschichte der Schweiz, Tagung vom 13.-19. January 1991 in Salecina/Maloja, Zurich 1991, p. 136.
99.
F. Grin, “Gestion “à la suisse” de la diversité linguistique: un succès menacé par l’économie?”, in H. Guillorel et G. Koubi (dir.), Langues et droits – Langues du droit, droit des langues, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 1999, p. 251 (253 et 254), D. Froidevaux, “Construction de la nation et pluralisme suisses: idéologies et pratiques”, Revue suisse de Science politique, 1997, n. 3, p. 29–58.
100.
Cst., art. 4.
101.
Statistical Yearbook 2008 by the Federal Statistical Office, see www.statistique.admin.ch (last visited 6.03.09).
102.
Cst., art. 70 al. 2.
103.
Aargau, Appenzell Outer Rhodes, Appenzell Inner Rhodes, Basle-Land, Basle-City, Bern, Grisons, Glarus, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Saint-Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Uri, Zug, Zurich.
104.
Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, Vaud.
105.
Ticino.
106.
Kulturkampf describes the strong reaction of the Protestants against the Catholics and the Church in general.
107.
None of the Swiss Cantons has this sort of relation with the church. However, the Canton of Vaud experiences a certain form of union: Its Cantonal Constitution at Article 13 provides that the Protestant Church is a “national institution” which is organised by the Canton itself. By contrast, the Catholic churches are not corporations of public law but constitute a private law organisation.
108.
Geneva, Neuchâtel.
109.
O. K. Kaufmann, “Swiss Federalism”, in R.A. Goldwin/A. Kaufman/W.A. Schambra (eds.), Forging Unity out of Diversity, Washington, DC, 1989, p. 214.
110.
J. Linz, “Discussion on the Swiss Federalism”, in R.A. Goldwin/A. Kaufman/W.A. Schambra (eds.), Forging Unity out of Diversity, Washington, DC, 1989, p. 256.
111.
M. Arefaine, op. cit. p. 166. The composition of the Federal Council is a compromise of all parties enabling the representation of all political tendencies, religions, genders, and all linguistic parts of Switzerland.
112.
Auer/G. Malinverni/M. Hottelier, op. cit. pp. 258–261.
113.
Cst., art. 62.
114.
J.-F. Aubert/P. Mahon, op. cit. pp. 512–515.
115.
Statistical Yearbook 2008 p. 519.

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Ducrest and Heggli Law Firm, Geneva, Switzerland
Eleanor Cashin Ritaine
University of Neuchâtel, Rue du Rocher 20, 2000, Neuchatel, Switzerland
Anne-Sophie Papeil

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Eric Stein Collegiate Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Daniel Halberstam
Hessel E. Yntema Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Mathias Reimann

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Ritaine, E.C., Papeil, AS. (2014). Federalism and Legal Unification in Switzerland. In: Halberstam, D., Reimann, M. (eds) Federalism and Legal Unification. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 28. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7398-1_17

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