The Politics of Switzerland

Abstract

Despite Switzerland's small size, its political system is one of the most complex and fascinating among contemporary democracies. The rich, complex mixture of centuries-old institutions and the refined political arrangements that exist today constitute a veritable laboratory for social scientists and their students. Often presented as the paradigmatic case of political integration, consensus democracy and multinational federalism, the Swiss model has become a benchmark case for analyses in comparative politics, political behaviour and other related fields. Written by two leading experts on Swiss politics, this book presents a definitive overview for scholars and students interested in Switzerland's political system at the beginning of the twenty-first century. By focusing on its intricacies but also taking in larger issues of general interest, the broad scope of this study will appeal to all those interested in contemporary European politics and democratic systems.

Stability and Change in Party Preference

“…Dalton 1984), empirical studies show that social class remains relevant when divisions within the old middle class are taken account of (see Güveli and de Graaf 2007 for a review, Lachat 2007 for Switzerland). Similarly, religion remains significant for voting when not only religious denomination but also religious practise is considered (Kriesi and Trechsel 2008). We will test whether socio-structural characteristics still have the stabilising effect suggested by cleavage theory and sociological models of voting.…”

Compulsory Voting, Habit Formation, and Political Participation

“…Its federal structure dates back to the 1803 Act of Mediation, which marks the end of a longstanding conflict between Unitarists and Federalists (Kriesi and Trechsel 2008). The Act of Mediation re-installed the 13 old cantons and created six new ones.…”

“…7 Kriesi and Trechsel (2008) We will exploit this policy intervention to examine the contemporaneous effects of compulsory voting on turnout in federal referendums, whether it generated political participation spillovers on other forms of civic engagement, and whether it gave rise to a long-term increase in turnout that lasted even after Vaud had abolished compulsory voting.…”

Decomposing the Vote: Individual, Communal, and Cantonal Sources of Voting Behavior in Switzerland

“…In Switzerland, cantons are an obvious choice as contextual units (Bühlmann and Freitag 2006). Much of the legal and institutional framework of elections is provided by the cantons (Kriesi and Trechsel 2008;Linder 2005). Moreover, there are often considerable cross-cantonal differences in party competition, for example, in terms of the parties that compete.…”

“…In the Swiss case, four cleavages are of particular importance (Kriesi and Trechsel 2008;Linder 2005;Linder, Bolliger and Zürcher 2008). The first relates to religion, i.e., the division between Protestants and Catholics and, more recently, seculars.…”