ch.ch Federal Election 18th October 2015 : Switzerland

Organisation : A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes (ch.ch)
Facility : Federal Election
Country : Switzerland

Home page/ Notification : https://www.ch.ch/en/elections2015/

Election date : 18 October 2015
The general election to the National Council/the election of 45 members of the Council of States is held every four years on the penultimate Sunday in October.

Who can stand for election to the National Council? :
In Switzerland, anyone wanting to stand for election to the National Council has to meet strict conditions.

The Swiss Constitution sets out the basic criteria on political rights and standing for election. Candidates should:
** be Swiss citizens
** be at least 18 years old
** not lack legal capacity due to mental illness or mental incapacity

Young candidates :
It is still possible to stand as a candidate for election if you are under the age of 18, provided you have turned 18 by the day of the election itself (in this case 18.10.2015)

Incompatibility with the mandate :
The Federal Act on the Federal Assembly sets out cases of incompatibility with the parliamentary mandate. The following persons, for example, may not sit in parliament: members of the armed forces command staff, staff of the Federal Administration, the Parliamentary Services and the federal courts. All cases of incompatibility are listed in the Federal Assembly Act.

I am Swiss but I live abroad: can I stand for parliament? :
The Swiss living abroad are Swiss nationals who do not live in Switzerland and are registered with a Swiss representation abroad.

Standing as candidate for the National Council :
The Federal Constitution states that any citizen with the right to vote in Switzerland can also stand for election to the National Council. All Swiss nationals who are 18 years of age or above before the day of the election enjoy these rights.

In order to exercise these rights, Swiss citizens living abroad must select as their electoral commune either their place of origin or the last place in which they were domiciled in Switzerland. They can register in this commune via their Swiss representation abroad.

The following persons are not eligible to stand for election:
** Swiss living abroad who are subject to a general deputyship or are represented by a person with a precautionary mandate as they are permanently lack the capacity of judgment.

** Swiss living abroad who are subject to an adult protection measure which prevents them from exercising their civil rights as they are permanently lack the capacity of judgment.

** Those who are not registered on the electoral roll of the Swiss living abroad.

Standing for election to the Council of States :
The process of election to the Council of States is regulated by the laws of each individual canton. For more information please refer to the competent authority in your canton. In most cases this is the cantonal chancellery

Should I stand for parliament with or without a party? :
Are you hoping to stand for parliament? You can do so either for an existing party or as an independent candidate, or create your own party

Standing for a political party :
You can decide to stand for an already existing political party whose opinions you share. Contact the administrative office of the party of your choice in order to become a member of the party (if you are not already one) and submit your candidacy.

Founding a party :
If you do not share the ideas of any of the existing parties, you can choose to found a new one. In Switzerland, everyone is free to form a party. For elections to the National Council and the Council of States, the founding of a party is not itself subject to any particular procedure. The most common form is an association; all the necessary steps for setting up an association are explained in the Swiss Civil Code. In particular, the association must adopt statutes set out in writing and containing standard provisions about the party’s political orientation, organisation and resources. For more information, please contact the competent authority of the canton in which you live.

Independent candidates :
If you do not share the ideas of any of the established political parties and do not want to create your own, you can stand as an independent candidate. However, you should be aware that the path to parliament is not an easy one; the electoral campaign is long and intense, and it is not easy to convince the voters that your ideas are good and ones that they should vote for. The system of proportional representation in most Swiss cantons does not make it easier to win a seat in Bern. For more information, please contact the competent authority of the canton in which you live