View source for Council of States (Switzerland)

{{Short description|House of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color = #000000
| name = Council of States
| native_name = 
{{Name in official languages
 | de = Ständerat
 | fr = Conseil des États
 | it = Consiglio degli Stati
 | rm = Cussegl dals Stadis
}}
| legislature = [[List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2023–2027)|52nd Council of States]]
| coa_pic = Swiss Council Logo.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert
| coa_res = 100px
| house_type = bicameral
| leader1_type = [[List of presidents of the Swiss Council of States|President]]
| leader1 = [[Andrea Caroni]]
| party1 = [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP/PLR]]
| election1 = 2 December 2024
| leader2_type = First Vice President
| leader2 = [[Stefan Engler]]
| party2 = [[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]]
| election2 = 2 December 2024
| leader3_type = Second Vice President 
| leader3 = [[Werner Salzmann]]
| party3 = [[Swiss People's Party|SVP/UDC]]
| election3 = 2 December 2024
| seats = 46
| structure1 = [[File:Conseil des Etats Suisse 2023.svg|250px|frameless]]
| structure1_res = 250px
| political_groups1 = 
: {{Color box|{{party color|The Centre (political party)}}|border=darkgray}} [[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]] (15)
: {{Color box|{{party color|The Liberals (Switzerland)}}|border=darkgray}} [[The Liberals (Switzerland)|FDP/PLR]] (11)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} [[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|SP/PS]] (9)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Swiss People's Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Swiss People's Party|SVP/UDC]] (6)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} [[Green Party of Switzerland|GPS/PES]] (3)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}|border=darkgray}} [[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|GLP/PVL]] (1)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Geneva Citizens' Movement}}|border=darkgray}} [[Geneva Citizens' Movement|MCG]] (1)
| voting_system1 = [[Two-round system]] (42 seats)<br>[[Party-list proportional representation|Proportional representation]] (4 seats: [[Canton of Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]] and [[Canton of Jura|Jura]])
| first_election1 = [[1848 Swiss federal election|1–27 October 1848]]
| last_election1 = [[2023 Swiss federal election|22 October 2023 (first round)<br>11, 19 and 26 November 2023 (second round)]]
| session_room = Bundeshaus - Ständeratssaal - 001.jpg
| meeting_place = [[Federal Palace of Switzerland]], [[Bern]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.parliament.ch/en/organe/council-of-states}}
}}
{{Politics of Switzerland}}

The '''Council of States'''<ref>({{langx|de|Ständerat}}; {{langx|fr|Conseil des États}}; {{langx|it|Consiglio degli Stati}}; {{langx|rm|Cussegl dals Stadis}})</ref> is a house of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] of [[Switzerland]], the other house  being the [[National Council (Switzerland)|National Council]]. As the powers of the houses are the same, it is sometimes called perfect [[Bicameralism|bicameralism]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/organe/council-of-states |type=official site |title=The Council of States |publisher=The Swiss Parliament |location=Berne, Switzerland |access-date=2016-08-09}}</ref>

It comprises 46 members. Twenty of the country's [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]] are represented by two councillors each. Six cantons, traditionally called "[[half canton]]s", are represented by one councillor each for historical reasons. These are [[Obwalden]], [[Nidwalden]], [[Basel-Stadt]], [[Basel-Landschaft]], [[Appenzell Ausserrhoden]] and [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]].<ref name=MofCS>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/organe/council-of-states/members-by-canton |type=official site |title=Member of the Council of States by Canton |publisher=The Swiss Parliament |location=Berne, Switzerland |access-date=2016-08-09}}</ref> The councillors serve for four years, and are not bound in their vote to instructions from the cantonal authorities.

==Electoral system==

Under the [[Swiss Federal Constitution]], the mode of election to the Council of States is left to the cantons, the provision being that it must be a democratic method. All cantons now provide for the councilors to be chosen by popular election, although historically it was typically the cantons' legislatures that elected representatives to Bern.

Despite this freedom that the Constitution provides, all cantons except {{lang|fr|[[Canton of Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]]|italic=no}} and {{lang|fr|[[Canton of Jura|Jura]]|italic=no}} (which use [[proportional representation]] to elect their councilors) elect councilors through an up to [[two-round system]] of voting. In the first round of voting, candidates must obtain an [[Supermajority#Majority of the entire membership|absolute majority of the vote]] in order to be elected. If no candidate receives an absolute majority in the first round of voting then a second round is held in which a [[Plurality (voting)|simple plurality]] is sufficient to be elected. The two candidates with the most votes in the second round are elected.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ch.ch/en/elections2015/organisation/council-of-states/ |title=Elections 2015: How the elections to the Council of States are organised: process, rules and principal stages |publisher=The Swiss Confederation |work=ch.ch |location=Berne, Switzerland |access-date=2016-08-09 |date=October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919235930/https://www.ch.ch/en/elections2015/organisation/council-of-states/ |archive-date= Sep 19, 2016 }}</ref>

However, eligibility to vote varies according to the applicable cantonal law. Two notable variations are that qualified foreigners may vote in Neuchâtel and Jura,<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Bundesamt für Statistik |title=Gemeinden und Kantone mit Stimm- und Wahlrecht für Ausländer |language=de|url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/migration-integration/integrationindikatoren/indikatoren/gemeinde-kantone-recht.html |access-date=5 November 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117220251/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/migration-integration/integrationindikatoren/indikatoren/gemeinde-kantone-recht.html |archive-date= Nov 17, 2019 }}</ref> and the minimum voting age is 16 in [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]].{{Fix|text=compared to what age in the other cantons?}}

In all the cantons except {{lang|de|[[canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden|Appenzell Innerrhoden]]|italic=no}} the councillors are elected concurrently with the members of the National Council. In {{lang|de|Appenzell Innerrhoden|italic=no}} the representative is elected by the popular assembly ({{lang|de|[[Landsgemeinde]]}}) during the April before the national vote.

==Working languages==
In debates, councilors can choose any of the federal languages, usually the one they are most proficient in: German, French, Italian, or Romansh.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/20062545/index.html#a8 |type=official site |title=Art. 8 Bundesversammlung, SR 441.1 SpG (Bundesgesetz über die Landessprachen und die Verständigung zwischen den Sprachgemeinschaften) |language=de, fr, it, rm |location=Berne, Switzerland |publisher=The Swiss Federal Council |access-date=2016-08-09}}</ref> German ([[Swiss Standard German|High German]]) and French are the most frequently used. While the National Council offers [[simultaneous interpretation]] for German and French (since 1960) and Italian (since about 2000), the Council of States offers none. Councilors are expected to understand at least two languages, German and French.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/de/services/sommerserien/sommerserie-2017/die-kabinen-der-simultanuebersetzer |title=Die Kabinen der Simultanübersetzer |date= |access-date=2022-12-09 |publisher=Swiss Parliament |language=de |trans-title=The Cabins of the Simultaneous Interpreters}}</ref>

==Voting==
Issues before the council pass with a majority of the votes cast. The president of the council typically does not vote, unless there is a tie. In three{{clarify|date=December 2023}} cases, votes require a majority in both councils in order to pass: [[emergency legislation]], votes on subsidies, guarantees, or any expenditure of more than 20 million [[Swiss franc|CHF]] on a non-recurring basis, or 2 million CHF on a recurring basis. In any case where a majority of the council is required, the president of the council will vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.parlament.ch/en/%C3%BCber-das-parlament/parlamentsw%C3%B6rterbuch/parlamentsw%C3%B6rterbuch-detail?WordId=139 |title=Lexikon of Parliamentary Terms |publisher=Parliament of Switzerland |access-date=2020-08-07}}</ref>

Until 2014, votes in the chamber were conducted with members raising their hands to be counted.  After Politnetz, a Swiss political information platform, recorded a 2012 vote regarding an import ban on reptile skins, it found that the official vote count differed from what was shown in the video.<ref name=Jenny>{{cite news |url=https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/jenny-fordert-neue-abstimmung-ueber-elektronische-stimmabgabe/story/12484032 |title=Jenny fordert neue Abstimmung über elektronische Stimmabgabe |language=de |work=Tages Anzeiger |date=2012-10-12}}</ref> In what was called "Stöckligate", Politnetz showed that several votes on the matter all resulted in miscounts.<ref name=Stöckligate>{{cite news |url=https://www.blick.ch/politik/stoeckligate-politnetz-darf-weiter-im-staenderat-filmen-vorerst-id2135576.html |title=Politnetz darf weiter im Ständerat filmen – vorerst |language=de |work=Blick |date=2012-12-10}}</ref> (The name Stöckligate refers to a colloquial name for the Council of States. A ''Stöckli'' is a second home built on a farm for the elder farmer after the property has been deeded{{clarify|date=December 2023}} to the heirs. The name is applied to the chamber as it is viewed as having older members than the National Council.).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zk7sDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA342 |title=Das politische System der Schweiz |language=de |author=Adrian Vatter |page=342 |publisher=Nomos Verlag |date=2018-06-29|isbn=9783845289540 }}</ref> As a result of the affair, council member [[This Jenny]] introduced a bill to require electronic voting.<ref name=Jenny/>

Since 1 March 2014, votes in the Council of States have been conducted electronically, with a tally shown on electronic display boards. The rule changes also allowed for disclosure of how members voted. The recorded votes are made public for votes on overall bills, final votes, and votes that require a qualified majority. Names and votes will be published if 10 members request this.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/20030743/index.html#a44a |title=Standing Orders of the Council of States  |publisher=Government of Switzerland |access-date=2020-08-01}}</ref>

==Membership==
{{Main|List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2023–2027)}}
{{Further|List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2011–2015)|List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2007–2011)|List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2019–2023)}}

Council members earn a base salary of 26,000 CHF per year plus a 440 CHF per diem for attending sessions of the council or the committees.  Members also receive 33,000 CHF per year for staff and material expenses.  Members also receive food, travel and hotel allowances and a pension contribution. The Swiss government estimates that a member typically receives 130,000 to 150,000 CHF per year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ch.ch/en/demokratie/swiss-parliament/salary-of-the-members-of-parliament/ |title=Salary of the members of parliament |publisher=Swiss Confederation |access-date=2020-08-06}}</ref>

==Seats by party==
{{election table|title=Seats by party at the Council of States of Switzerland (2003–2023)}}
!colspan=2|Party
!Ideology
![[2003 Swiss federal election|2003]]
![[2007 Swiss federal election|2007]]
![[2011 Swiss federal election|2011]]
![[2015 Swiss federal election|2015]]
![[2019 Swiss federal election|2019]]
![[2023 Swiss federal election|2023]]
|-
| width=5px style="background-color: {{party color|The Centre (political party)}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[The Centre (political party)|The Centre]] (DM/LC)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Centrism]], [[Christian democracy]], [[Conservatism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
| style="text-align:right;" | 13
| style="text-align:right;" | 13
| style="text-align:right;" | 13
| style="text-align:right;" | 15
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Free Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[FDP.The Liberals]] (FDP/PRD)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Classical liberalism]], [[economic liberalism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | 12
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
| style="text-align:right;" | 13
| style="text-align:right;" | 12
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Social Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Social Democratic Party of Switzerland|Social Democratic Party]] (SPS/PSS)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Social democracy]], [[Democratic Socialism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 9
| style="text-align:right;" | 9
| style="text-align:right;" | 11
| style="text-align:right;" | 12
| style="text-align:right;" | 9
| style="text-align:right;" | 9
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Swiss People's Party}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Swiss People's Party]] (SVP/UDC)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[National conservatism]], [[right-wing populism]], [[economic liberalism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 8
| style="text-align:right;" | 7
| style="text-align:right;" | 5
| style="text-align:right;" | 5
| style="text-align:right;" | 6
| style="text-align:right;" | 6
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Green Party of Switzerland|Green Party]] (GPS/PES)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Green politics]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 5
| style="text-align:right;" | 3
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Liberal Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Green Liberal Party of Switzerland|Green Liberal Party]] (GLP/PVL)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Green liberalism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 2
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |[[Conservative Democratic Party of Switzerland|Conservative Democratic Party]] (BDP/PBD)
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Conservatism]] / [[economic liberalism]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 
|-
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}" |
| style="text-align:left;" |Others and [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| style="text-align:left;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
| style="text-align:right;" | 1
|-
!style="text-align:left;" colspan=3|Total
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
!width="30" style="text-align:right;| 46
|}

==Population per seat==
The Council of States reflects the [[federalism|federal]] nature of Switzerland: seats are distributed by state ([[cantons of Switzerland|canton]]), not by population. Most cantons send two representatives, but the historic half-cantons (Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landshaft) each send one.<ref name=MofCS/> Consequently, the number of people represented by a single seat in the Council of State varies by a factor of 45.8, from 16,000 for the half-canton of [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]] to 733,050 for each of the two seats for the [[canton of Zurich]].
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Abbr
! [[Cantons of Switzerland|Canton]]
! Seats
! Population<sup>1</sup>
! Per seat
! Ratio<sup>2</sup>
|-
! ZH
| [[Canton of Zurich|Zurich]]
| 2
| 1,466,100
| 733,050
| 1.0
|-
! BE
| [[Canton of Bern|Berne]]
| 2
| 1,017,200
| 508,600
| 1.4
|-
! VD
| [[Vaud]]
| 2
| 773,200
| 386,600
| 1.9
|-
! AG
| [[Aargau]]
| 2
| 653,500
| 326,750
| 2.2
|-
! BL
| [[Basel-Landschaft]]
| 1
| 283,200
| 283,200
| 2.6
|-
! SG
| [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gall]]
| 2
| 499,000
| 249,500
| 2.9
|-
! GE
| [[Canton of Geneva|Geneva]]
| 2
| 484,400
| 242,200
| 3.0
|-
! LU
| [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]]
| 2
| 398,700
| 199,350
| 3.7
|-
! BS
| [[Basel-Stadt]]
| 1
| 191,800
| 191,800
| 3.8
|-
! TI
| [[Ticino]]
| 2
| 351,900
| 175,950
| 4.2
|-
! VS
| [[Valais]]
| 2
| 335,600
| 167,800
| 4.4
|-
! FR
| [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]]
| 2
| 307,400
| 153,700
| 4.8
|-
! TG
| [[Thurgau]]
| 2
| 267,400
| 133,700
| 5.5
|-
! SO
| [[Canton of Solothurn|Solothurn]]
| 2
| 266,400
| 133,200
| 5.5
|-
! GR
| [[Grisons]]
| 2
| 196,600
| 98,300
| 7.5
|-
! NE
| [[Canton of Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]]
| 2
| 178,100
| 89,050
| 8.2
|-
! SZ
| [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]]
| 2
| 154,100
| 77,050
| 9.5
|-
! ZG
| [[Canton of Zug|Zug]]
| 2
| 122,100
| 61,050
| 12.0
|-
! AR
| [[Appenzell Ausserrhoden]]
| 1
| 54,500
| 54,500
| 13.5
|-
! NW
| [[Nidwalden]]
| 1
| 42,400
| 42,400
| 17.3
|-
! SH
| [[Canton of Schaffhausen|Schaffhausen]]
| 2
| 79,800
| 39,900
| 18.4
|-
! OW
| [[Obwalden]]
| 1
| 37,100
| 37,100
| 19.8
|-
! JU
| [[Canton of Jura|Jura]]
| 2
| 72,800
| 36,400
| 20.1
|-
! GL
| [[Canton of Glarus|Glarus]]
| 2
| 40,000
| 20,000
| 36.7
|-
! UR
| [[Canton of Uri|Uri]]
| 2
| 36,000
| 18,000
| 40.7
|-
! AI
| [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]]
| 1
| 16,000
| 16,000
| 45.8
|- style="background:#efefef"
! colspan=2 | Overall
| 46
| 8,325,200
| 180,983
| 4.1
|}

'''Notes'''<br>
<sup>1</sup> Population data from 2015.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/raeumliche_verteilung/kantone__gemeinden.html Population data 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305144322/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/themen/01/02/blank/key/raeumliche_verteilung/kantone__gemeinden.html |date=5 March 2011 }} accessed 28 July 2016</ref><br>
<sup>2</sup> Relative representation compared to Zürich.

==See also==
* [[Parliament Act (Switzerland)]]
* [[List of members of the Swiss Council of States (2019–2023)]]
* [[List of presidents of the Swiss Council of States]]
* [[Cantonal Council]]
* [[Political Institutions Committee]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Citation |title=The Swiss Confederation – A Brief Guide 2015 |date=28 April 2015 |via=Swiss Federal Chancellery FCh of the Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova |publisher=Swiss Confederation |location=Berne, Switzerland |url=https://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/index.html?lang=en |format=PDF |access-date=2016-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514013106/http://www.bk.admin.ch/dokumentation/02070/index.html?lang=en |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Swiss Council of States}}
*[https://www.parlament.ch/en/organe/council-of-states Official website]—{{in lang|en}}
*[https://www.ch.ch/en/elections2015/the-swiss-parliament/ The Swiss Parliament]—{{in lang|en}}
*[https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/17.html#17 The Law Collection: SR 17 Bundesbehörden/Autorités fédérales/Autorità federali]—{{in lang|de}}

{{Members of the Swiss Council of States}}
{{Swiss legislatures}}
{{National upper houses}}
{{Portal bar|Politics|Switzerland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Council of States (Switzerland)| ]]
[[Category:Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|.]]
[[Category:Members of the Council of States (Switzerland)| 01]]
[[Category:Federal chambers]]