The 1998 Swiss Constitution

 

Table of Contents / Summary

 

Federal Decree on a new Federal Constitution of December 18, 1998

Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation

Preamble

Title 1: General Provisions

Art. 1 Swiss Confederation

Art. 2 Purpose

Art. 3 Cantons

Art. 4 National Languages

Art. 5 Rule of Law

Art. 6 Individual and Social Responsibility

Title 2: Fundamental Rights, Civil Rights and Social Goals

Chapter 1: Fundamental Rights

Art. 7 Human Dignity

Art. 8 Equality before the Law

Art. 9 Protection against Arbitrariness and Principle of Good Faith

Art. 10 Right to Live and Personal Freedom

Art. 11 Protection of Children and Young People

Art. 12 Right to Aid in Distress

Art. 13 Right to Privacy

Art. 14 Right to Marriage and Family

Art. 15 Freedom of Religion and Philosophy

Art. 16 Freedom of Opinion and Information

Art. 17 Freedom of the Media

Art. 18 Freedom of Language

Art. 19 Right to Primary Education

Art. 20 Freedom of Science

Art. 21 Freedom of Art

Art. 22 Freedom of Assembly

Art. 23 Freedom of Association

Art. 24 Freedom of Domicile

Art. 25 Protection against expulsion, extradition, and removal by force

Art. 26 Right to property

Art. 27 Economic Freedom

Art. 28 Freedom to Unionize

Art. 29 General Procedural Guarantees

Art. 29a Guarantee of Legal Proceedings

Art. 30 Judicial Proceedings

Art. 31 Habeas Corpus

Art. 32 Criminal procedure

Art. 33 Right of Petition

Art. 34 Political Rights

Art. 35 Realization of Fundamental Rights

Art. 36 Limitations of Fundamental Rights

Chapter 2: Citizenship and Political Rights

Art. 37 Citizenships

Art. 38 Acquisition and Loss of Citizenship

Art. 39 Exercise of Political Rights

Art. 40 Swiss citizens domiciled abroad

Chapter 3: Social Goals

Art. 41

Title 3: Confederation, Cantons, and Municipalities

Chapter 1: Relationship between the Confederation and the Cantons

Section 1: Tasks of the Confederation and the Cantons

Art. 42 Tasks of the Confederation

Art. 43 Tasks of the Cantons

Section 2: Cooperation between the Confederation and the Cantons

Art. 44 Principles

Art. 45 Participation in Federal Decision Making

Art. 46 Implementation of Federal Law

Art. 47 Autonomy of the Cantons

Art. 48 Intercantonal Treaties

Art. 49 Supremacy of and Respect for Federal Law

Section 3: Municipalities

Art. 50

Section 4: Federal Guarantees

Art. 51 Cantonal Constitutions

Art. 52 Constitutional Order

Art. 53 Existence and Territory of the Cantons

Chapter 2: Powers

Section 1: Relations with foreign countries

Art. 54 Foreign Relations

Art. 55 Participation of the Cantons in Decisions of Foreign Policy

Art. 56 Relations between the Cantons and Foreign Countries

Art. 57 Security

Art. 58 Army

Art. 59 Military and Alternative Service

Art. 60 Organisation, Instruction, and Equipment of the Army

Art. 61 Civil defense

Section 3: Education, Research, and Culture

Art. 62 Education

Art. 63 Professional Education and Universities

Art. 64 Research

Art. 65 Statistics

Art. 66 Support of Education

Art. 67 Education of Young People and Adults

Art. 68 Sport

Art. 69 Culture

Art. 70 Languages

Art. 71 Film

Art. 72 Church and State

Section 4: Environment and Zoning

Art. 73 Sustainable Development

Art. 74 Protection of the Environment

Art. 75 Zoning

Art. 76 Water

Art. 77 Forests

Art. 79 Fishery and Hunting

Art. 80 Protection of Animals

Section 5: Public Works and Transportation

Art. 81 Public Works

Art. 82 Road Traffic

Art. 83 National Highways

Art. 84 Alpine Transit

Art. 85 Charge on Heavy Goods Traffic

Art. 86 Motor Fuels Consumption Tax and other Traffic Charges

Art. 87 Rail Traffic and further Means of Traffic

Art. 88 Footpaths and Hiking Trails

Section 6: Energy and Communication

Art. 89 Energy Policy

Art. 90 Nuclear Energy

Art. 91 Transportation of Energy

Art. 92 Postal and Telecommunication Services

Art. 93 Radio and Television

Section 7: Economy

Art. 94 Principles of Economic Order

Art. 95 Private Economic Activity

Art. 96 Competition Policy

Art. 97 Consumer Protection

Art. 98 Banking and Insurance

Art. 99 Monetary Policy

Art. 100 Policy on Economic Development

Art. 101 Foreign Trade

Art. 102 Supply of Essential Goods and Services

Art. 103 Structural Policy

Art. 104 Agriculture

Art. 105 Alcohol

Art. 106 Gambling

Art. 107 Weapons and Military Material

Section 8: Housing, Work, Social Security and Health

Art. 108 Promotion of Construction and Ownership of Housing

Art. 109 Landlord and Tenant

Art. 110 Labor

Art. 111 Social Security

Art. 112 Old age, Survivors' and Disability Insurance

Art. 113 Employee Pension Plans

Art. 114 Unemployment Insurance

Art. 115 Assistance to Needy Persons

Art. 116 Family Allocations and Maternity Insurance

Art. 117 Health and Accident Insurance

Art. 118 Protection of Health

Art. 119 Medical Assistance to Procreation and Gene Technology in the Human Field

Art. 120 Gene Technology in the Non-Human Field

Section 9: Residence and Domicile of Foreigners

Art. 121

Section 10: Civil and Criminal Law, Weights and Measures

Art. 122 Civil Law

Art. 123 Criminal Law

Art. 124 Aid to Victims of Criminal Acts

Art. 125 Weights and Measures

Chapter 3: Finances

Art. 126 Budget

Art. 127 Principles of Taxation

Art. 128 Direct Taxes

Art. 129 Harmonization of Taxes

Art. 130 Value Added Tax

Art. 131 Special Consumption Taxes

Art. 132 Stamp and Withholding Taxes

Art. 133 Customs Duties

Art. 134 Exclusion of Cantonal and Municipal Taxation

Art. 135 Financial Equalization

Title 4: People and Cantons

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Art. 136 Political Rights

Art. 137 Political Parties

Chapter 2: Initiative and Referendum

Art. 138 Popular Initiative for Total Revision of the Federal Constitution

Art. 139 Popular Initiative for Partial Revision of the Federal Constitution

Art. 140 Mandatory Referendum

Art. 141 Optional Referendum

Art. 142 Required Majorities

Title 5: Federal Authorities

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Art. 143 Eligibility

Art. 144 Incompatibilities

Art. 145 Term of Office

Art. 146 Answerability of the State

Art. 147 Hearings and Consultations

Chapter 2: Federal Parliament

Section 1: Organisation

Art. 148 Status

Art. 149 Composition and Election of the House of Representatives

Art. 150 Composition and Election of the Senate

Art. 151 Session Periods

Art. 152 Presidency

Art. 153 Parliamentary Commissions

Art. 154 Parliamentary Groups

Art. 155 Parliamentary Services

Section 2: Procedure

Art. 156 Separate Deliberation

Art. 157 Joint Deliberation

Art. 158 Meetings to be Public

Art. 159 Quorum and Majority

Art. 160 Right to Initiatives and Motions

Art. 161 Prohibition of Instructed Mandates

Art. 162 Immunity

Section 3: Powers

Art. 163 Form of Laws and Decrees by the Federal Parliament

Art. 164 Legislation

Art. 165 Urgent Legislation

Art. 166 Foreign Relations and International Treaties

Art. 167 Finances

Art. 168 Elections

Art. 169 High Supervision

Art. 170 Evaluation of Efficacy

Art. 171 Mandates to the Federal Government

Art. 172 Relations between the Confederation and the Cantons

Art. 173 Further Tasks and Powers

Chapter 3: Federal Government and Federal Administration

Section 1: Organisation and Procedure

Art. 174 Federal Government

Art. 175 Composition and Election

Art. 176 Presidency

Art. 177 Principle of Collective Authority and Division into Departments

Art. 178 Federal Administration

Art. 179 Federal Chancery

Section 2: Powers

Art. 180 Government Policy

Art. 181 Initiative

Art. 182 Legislation and Implementation