Since the year 2000, Switzerland has had a totally revised constitution. The main changes deal with issues of federalism. Globalization has and will have strong centralizing effects, although localization might trigger emotional and nationalistic reactions within the different ethnic communities of Switzerland. Swiss Federalism builds on the traditional and to a certain extent also the modern diversities. Since middle age the Swiss Confederation has always been enriched and challenged by economic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversities. Since the foundation of Switzerland as a state of modernity in 1848 the constitution has been more than 100 times modified with specific provisions. It has centralized some of the powers and compensated the loss of self-rule with more shared rule and thus given cantons more possibilities to participate within the federal decision making process. The growing mobility of people and the important percentage of foreigners living in Switzerland (20 percent) are additional challenges to the already existing but constitutionally provided diversity. This paper will explain the new constitution within this framework of the modern federalism. In particular, it focuses on the specificity of Swiss constitution, its framework and the new balance between self-rule and shared rule and recent developments.
Switzerland, constitution, federalism, cantons, Self-rule
