Switzerland's Politics
- Conventional long form of name: Swiss Confederation
- Capital city: Bern
- Type of government: formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic
- Date of independence: August 1st, 1291
- National holidays: founding of the Swiss Confederation- August 1st
- Capital city: Bern
- Type of government: formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic
- Date of independence: August 1st, 1291
- National holidays: founding of the Swiss Confederation- August 1st
- Chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer; Vice President Didier Burkhalter
- Head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer (since January 1st, 2013); Vice President Didier Burkhalter (since January 1st, 2013)
- Head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer (since January 1st, 2013); Vice President Didier Burkhalter (since January 1st, 2013)
- Executive branch/ powers: chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli MAURER; Vice President Didier BURKHALTER; note - the Federal Council, which is comprised of seven federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate in one-year terms as federal president (chief of state and head of government) head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2013); Vice President Didier BURKHALTER (since 1 January 2013) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) is elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
- Legislative branch/ powers: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Staenderat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve four-year terms)
- Judicial branch/ powers: highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 judges and 31 substitutes and organized into 5 sections) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (began in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (began in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts - Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
- Their ambassador to the US: Manuel Sager (since November 1st, 2010)
- Location of their embassy in the US: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Location of their consulates in the US: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston
- US ambassador to them: Jeffrey R. Cellars
- Location of US embassy there: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
- Location of US consulates there: none
- Their representative to UN: Paul Seger
- Legislative branch/ powers: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Staenderat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve four-year terms)
- Judicial branch/ powers: highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 judges and 31 substitutes and organized into 5 sections) judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (began in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (began in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts - Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
- Their ambassador to the US: Manuel Sager (since November 1st, 2010)
- Location of their embassy in the US: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Location of their consulates in the US: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston
- US ambassador to them: Jeffrey R. Cellars
- Location of US embassy there: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
- Location of US consulates there: none
- Their representative to UN: Paul Seger
- Sybolism of flag: various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)
- National symbols: Swiss cross (white cross on red field; arms equal length)