THE CURRENT SITUATION OF FEDERALISM IN SWITZERLAND

• Main Author: Thomas Fleiner
• Format: Article
• Language: Catalan
• Published: Institut d'Estudis de l'Autogovern 2009-10-01
• Series: Revista d'Estudis Autonòmics i Federals
• Subjects: Confederation; legitimacy; cantonal sovereignty; self-rule; sharedrule; collective rights; direct democracy; compromise; bottom up federalism; municipalities; constitutional review; judiciary
• Online Access: http://www10.gencat.cat/drep/binaris/_reaf9_Fleiner_tcm112-110824.pdf

Swiss Federalism builds on the traditional and to a certain extent also themodern diversities. Since middle age the Swiss confederation has always beenenriched and challenged by economic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversities.Since the foundation of Switzerland as a state of modernity in 1848the constitution has been more than 100 times modified with specific provisions.In addition there have been two total revisions in 1874 and in 1999.With the new constitutionthe federal balance between shared rule and selfrule has slightly been changed. It has centralized some of the powers andcompensatedthe loss of self rule with more shared rule and thus given cantonsmore possibilities to participate within the federal decision making process.With regard to the diversities the new federal constitution has introducedimportant provisions in order to strengthen the federal legitimacy andto provide democratic tools for conflict management.