At Stake in this Election: 

Voters in Switzerland will vote on whether to approve two Federal Popular Initiatives:

-The Civic Duty Initiative, which concerns military, environmental and community service mandates for all citizens 

-The Initiative for a Future, which seeks to introduce a federal inheritance and gift tax to increase funding for climate policy

Government Structure: 

• Chief of State: President of the Swiss Confederation Karin KELLER-SUTTER (1 January 2025) 

• Head of Government: President of the Swiss Confederation Karin KELLER-SUTTER (1 January 2025) 

• Assembly: bicameral Federal Assembly, comprised of the 200-seat National Council and the 46-seat Council of States. 

Electoral System: 

• The President is elected by the Council of States and must be a member of the Council of States. The President serves a 1-year term and cannot serve in consecutive years.  

• Members of the National Council are directly elected via a proportional representation system. Each Canton is guaranteed at least one seat. Members serve 4-year terms.  

• Members of the Council of States are directly elected by the Cantons. Each Canton determines its own electoral procedure for the seat. All Cantons are allocated two representatives, except for Obwalden, Nidwalden, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden, which are allocated one. Members serve 4-year terms.  

Last Election: 

The last election was held on September 28, 2025.  

Information for Voters: 

Popular vote on 30 November 2025 (in English) 

Country Context: 

• Population: 9,034,102 (2024 estimate) 

• Registered Voters: 5,620,065 (2025 estimate) 

• V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index Score: 0.894 

• V-Dem Regimes of the World Classification: Liberal Democracy (2024) 

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 0.970, Very High (2023 estimate) 

Gender Data: 

• Female Population: 4,546,181 (2024 estimate) 

• CEDAW Status: Signed 23 Jan 1987, Ratified 27 Mar 1997 

• Gender Quota: No legislated quotas. Some parties have adopted voluntary quotas. 

• Female Candidates in this election: n/a 

• Number of Female Legislators (pre-election): 77 out of 200 (39%) in the lower house and 16 out of 46 (35%) in the upper house 

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: 9.9 (2025 estimate) 

Disability Data: 

• CRPD Status: Ascended 15 April 2014 

• Projected population with a disability: 1,445,456 (2024 estimate) 

IFES Resources: 

• ElectionJudgments: Yes, 2 judgments