Questions on politics and the state are at the heart of every citizenship test: federalism, separation of powers and direct democracy.
Switzerland consists of 26 cantons and is a federal state with three levels: the Confederation, the cantons and the municipalities. At federal level the Federal Assembly, made up of the National Council (200 seats) and the Council of States (46 seats), is the legislature, the seven-member Federal Council is the executive and the Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne is the judiciary. A law is passed when both chambers have adopted the same text.
Direct democracy matters most: with a popular initiative, 100,000 voters can demand a change to the Federal Constitution, and with a referendum, 50,000 voters or eight cantons can demand a vote on a law. Constitutional amendments need a majority of the people and of the cantons. At federal level Swiss citizens aged 18 and over can vote.
24 of the 76 questions on this topic in our question bank · Tap an answer to see if it is right. Under “Show answer” you find the solution with an explanation and the source.
Correct answer: C – 26
Switzerland consists of 26 cantons. Six of them (Obwalden, Nidwalden, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden) used to be called half-cantons and have only one seat in the Council of States. Each canton has its own constitution, parliament, government and courts.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – 1999
The current Federal Constitution was approved by the people and the cantons on 18 April 1999 and came into force on 1 January 2000. It replaced the Constitution of 1874, which had replaced the first Constitution of 1848. The Constitution is the supreme law of Switzerland.
Source: fedlex.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – The Federal Assembly
In Switzerland the powers of the state are separated: the Federal Assembly (parliament) makes the laws, the Federal Council implements them (executive) and the Federal Supreme Court administers justice (judiciary). Separation of powers prevents any one authority from becoming too powerful. Nobody may belong to more than one of these authorities at the same time.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – Lausanne
The Federal Supreme Court is based in Lausanne. Two social-law divisions work in Lucerne. The federal courts are deliberately not located in the federal city of Bern, where the government and parliament sit.
Source: bger.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – National Council and Council of States
The Federal Assembly consists of the National Council (representing the people, 200 seats) and the Council of States (representing the cantons, 46 seats). Both chambers have equal powers. This is therefore called a perfect bicameral system.
Source: parlament.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – The National Council and Council of States meeting together (246 members)
For certain tasks the National Council and the Council of States meet jointly as the United Federal Assembly with 246 members. Among other things, it elects the members of the Federal Council, the President of the Confederation, the Federal Chancellor and the federal judges. It also decides on pardons and conflicts of jurisdiction.
Source: parlament.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – Zurich
Zurich is the most populous canton and, since the 2023 elections, holds 36 of the 200 National Council seats. It is followed by Bern (24) and Vaud (19). The allocation of seats is recalculated on the basis of population statistics.
Source: parlament.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – The voters of the respective canton
Members of the Council of States are elected by the people of each canton. Each canton sets its own electoral procedure: most use the majority system, while Neuchâtel and Jura use proportional representation. In Appenzell Innerrhoden the election takes place at the Landsgemeinde (open-air assembly).
Source: parlament.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – When the National Council and the Council of States have adopted it in the same wording
A law is only passed if both chambers approve the same text. If there are differences, the bill goes back and forth between the chambers (procedure for resolving differences); if necessary, a conciliation conference decides. Afterwards, an optional referendum can be called against the law.
Source: parlament.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – Chairing Federal Council meetings as 'first among equals'
The President of the Confederation chairs the meetings of the Federal Council and takes on special representative duties at home and abroad. However, the president has no additional powers and continues to head his or her own department. The head of state is the Federal Council as a collective body.
Source: admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – 7
The federal administration is divided into seven departments, each headed by a member of the Federal Council: FDFA, FDHA, FDJP, DDPS, FDF, EAER and DETEC. In addition there is the Federal Chancellery as a staff office. The Federal Council itself decides how the departments are allocated.
Source: admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – FDJP
The SEM belongs to the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP). It is responsible for residence, asylum and, at federal level, for the federal naturalisation authorisation. The Federal Office of Justice and the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) are also part of the FDJP.
Source: sem.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – EAER
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) is responsible, among other things, for economic policy, vocational and higher education, research and agriculture. It includes, for example, SECO and the Federal Office for Agriculture. In 2026 it is headed by President of the Confederation Guy Parmelin.
Source: admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – The Centre
In 2026 the Federal Council consists of two members each from the SVP (Guy Parmelin, Albert Rösti), the SP (Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Beat Jans) and the FDP (Ignazio Cassis, Karin Keller-Sutter), plus one member of The Centre (Martin Pfister). The Greens and the Green Liberals are not represented in the Federal Council. The composition can change at elections.
Source: admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: C – CVP and BDP
The Centre was formed in 2021 through the merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP) and the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP). It is a party of the political centre. Since 2025 it has had one member of the Federal Council, Martin Pfister.
Source: easyvote.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – Voters can decide themselves on issues such as constitutional amendments and laws
In Switzerland voters not only elect their representatives but also decide directly on specific issues. The instruments for this are the popular initiative and the referendum. At federal level the people vote on proposals several times a year.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – An amendment to the Federal Constitution
With a federal popular initiative, voters can demand a partial or total revision of the Federal Constitution. There is no legislative (statutory) initiative at federal level, although there is in the cantons. Parliament issues a voting recommendation and can draft a counter-proposal.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – Eight cantons
An optional referendum can also be demanded by eight cantons (cantonal referendum). This right has rarely been used; it succeeded for the first time in 2003 against a tax package. Usually referendums are launched through signature collections by parties, associations or committees.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – More than half of the valid votes across Switzerland are yes
The popular majority is reached when more than half of the valid votes cast across Switzerland are yes. Only the votes of people who actually voted count. Blank and invalid ballots are not taken into account.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – 18
At federal level, Swiss citizens have the right to vote and elect from the age of 18. The voting age was lowered from 20 to 18 in 1991. From 18 one can also be elected to the National Council.
Source: ch.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: C – No; but some cantons and communes grant foreigners voting rights at their level
At federal level the right to vote is tied to Swiss citizenship. Neuchâtel and Jura grant foreign nationals the right to vote at cantonal level under certain conditions. At communal level it also exists, for example, in the cantons of Vaud, Fribourg and Geneva; in Graubünden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Basel-Stadt the communes may introduce it.
Source: ch.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: D – Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden
The Landsgemeinde is an open-air assembly of voters where decisions and elections are made by a show of hands. Today it exists only in Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden. It is regarded as the oldest form of direct democracy in Switzerland.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: B – Waste disposal and water supply
Communes perform many everyday tasks such as waste disposal, water supply, local roads, residents' registration and – together with the canton – compulsory schooling. Exactly which tasks lie with the communes is decided by each canton. The communes levy their own taxes and fees for this.
Source: bk.admin.ch · Checked October 2026
Correct answer: A – Switzerland does not take part in armed conflicts between other states and does not join any military alliance
As a neutral state, Switzerland does not take part in wars between other states and has not joined any military alliance such as NATO. It defends itself with its own army (armed neutrality) and often offers its 'good offices' as a mediator. On 27 September 2026 the people and cantons rejected the Neutrality Initiative, which sought to enshrine stricter neutrality in the Constitution, with about 70% voting no.
Source: eda.admin.ch · Checked October 2026